OROBANGUACEiE. 191 



Stem branched, rarely single. Flowers ascending, in a rather 

 lax spike. Lowest bract of each flower ovate-lanceolate, shorter 

 than the calves ; lateral ones smaller, lanceolate-subulate. Calyx 

 divided to the middle into 4 broadly lanceolate segments acumi- 

 nated into subulate points, shorter than the tube of the corolla, 

 each segment with a strong mid-vein and 1 or more pairs of 

 indistinct lateral veins. Corolla twice as long as the calyx, with 

 the tube curved in the upper half, contracted above the base a 

 little below the termination of the calyx-segments, then again 

 expanded ; upper lip bilobed, with the lobes rounded ; under lip 

 3-lobed, with the lobes oval, obtuse. Stamens inserted a little 

 below the contraction in the corolla-tube ; filaments pubescent at 

 the base ; anthers glabrous, or nearly so, at the sutures. Stigma 

 " white or slightly bluish " (Coss. & Germ.). 



Parasitical on the roots of hemp, and occasionally other plants, 

 such as sunflower, knotgrass, tomata, archangelica, and tobacco, 

 &c. Very rare, and not, strictly speaking, even naturalized in 

 Britain. It has occurred principally in Norfolk, Suffolk, and 

 Cambridge. It has not been found recently. 



I have not seen living specimens of this species. 



[England.] Annual. Summer and Autumn. 



Stem slender, 3 inches to 1 foot high, generally with a few 

 branches towards the base, rarely simple, whitish or tinged with 

 blue, nearly destitute of scales, except where the branches are 

 given off. Flowers ^ to f inch long, " yellowish-white commonly 

 tinged with blue on the upper part" (Coss. & Germ.). Plant glan- 

 dular pubescent, especially above. 



Branched Broom-rape. 



French, Orobanche Rameuse. German, Astiger Sommerwwrz. 



The different species of Broom-rape are probably much alike in quality, and have 

 been given as a remedy in diarrhoea and other disorders. An infusion has been used 

 as a wash for ulcers, but is not now much employed. The habit of these plants is very 

 singular ; they are truly parasitic, and derive no sustenance from the soil. Each 

 species has its favourite plant on which to subsist, and ultimately to kill. The present 

 species attacks the roots of the hemp, and is most destructive to the crops. 



SPECIES II.-O ROB AN CHE ARENARIA. Berk. 



Plate MVIII. 



Reich. Ic. FL Germ, et Helv. Vol. XX. Tab. MDCCLXVI. 



Phelipsea arenaria, Watp. Gr. t Godr. FL de Fr. Vol. II. p. C25. Reich, fd. 1. c. p. SG 

 Renter, in D. C. Prod. Vol. XI. p. C. 



