320 THE BROOMRAPE FAMILY. (Orcbansie 
of green leaves at once distinguishes it from all British species of that 
family. 
Calyx deeply divided into 2 or 4 pointed eee j ; ; . 1. OROBANCHE. 
Calyx with 4 broad, short teeth or lobes. : : ‘ . 2. LATHRAA. 
I. OROBANCHE. BROOMRAPEH. 
Calyx divided to the base on the upper side, and often also on the 
lower side, so as to form 2 lateral sepals, either entire or 2-cleft, either 
distinct from each other, or more or less connected at the base on the 
lower side, and sometimes on the upper side also by the intervention of 
a fifth lobe, and always pointed. Habit and other characters those of 
the family. 
It is the principal genus of the Order, extending over the whole of 
its geographical range. ‘The species are in general difficult to charac- 
terise. Some appear to thrive only on the roots of one species, or at 
most two or three closely allied ones, whilst others will grow on a great 
variety of plants of the most remote natural affinities. But as the par- 
ticular stock the plant feeds on may occasion some modification in the 
habit of the parasite, it is in many cases a matter of great doubt whether 
the differences observed are owing to this circumstance or to real specific 
distinction. It is not therefore improbable that some of the species 
here adopted, although much less numerous than those usually dis- 
tinguished, may on a more careful observation prove to be mere varieties 
of each other. 
One bract only under each flower. Plant with little or no blue. 
Stout plant, 1 to 3 feet high, with numerous flowers in a 
dense spike. 
Plant dingy-brown, on shrubby Leguminose. Stamens 
glabrous below. 1. O. major. 
Plant more or less yellow, on Centaur ec and other herbs. 
Stamens hairy below 4, O, elatior. 
Plant seldom above a foot high. Spike short, or with the 
lower flowers distant. 
Plant of a dingy-brown, or with a reddish tint. Tube of 
the corolla broad. 
Calyx of 2 entire or unequally divided sepals. Plant 
red-brown, on Thyme . , : : ‘ . 8 O. rubra. 
Calyx of 2 equally divided sepals. Plant light or dark- 
brown, on Galiwm . 2. O. caryophyllacea. 
Plant of a light yellowish-brown ‘or purplish, the flowers 
often tinged with blue. Tube of the corolla narrowed 
above the base E 5. O. minor. 
Three bracts to each flower, one ‘underneath, and a small’ “one : 
on each side. Plant often bluish. 
Stem always simple. Calyx 5-toothed or -lobed . . . 6. O. coerulea. 
Stem often branched. Calyx 4-toothed or -lobed . ; . 7 O. ramosa. 
1. O. major, Linn. (fig. 718). Great B.—This, our largest species, 
is first of a pale yellow, but soon assumes in every part a dingy 
purplish-brown. Stem simple, stout, from 1 to 14 or 2 feet high, 
much thickened at the base, with lanceolate scales, which are much 
shorter and broader at the base of the plant. Flowers closely sessile, 
with 1 bract to each, forming a dense spike at least half the length 
of the whole plant. Calyx more or less deeply divided into 2 or 4 
lanceolate lobes. Corolla ? to 1 inch long; the tube nearly as broad 
as long, curved with a very oblique limb; the upper lip entire or — 
shortly 2-lobed, the lower one 3-lobed, with the middle lobe usually, 
