Orobanche. 



OROBANCHACEJ3. 



23 



longer than the corolla.— Willi, sp. 3. p. 351 ; Walt. fl. Car. p. 166 ; Michx. fl. 2. p. 26 ; 

 Pursh, fl. 2. p. 431 ; Nutt. gen. 2. p. 58 ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 135 ; Beck, hot. p. 260 ; Darlingt. 

 fl. Cest. p. 376. Conophilis Americana, Endl. iconogr. t. 81. 



Perennial. Root roundish, composed of matted fleshy fibres. Plant 3-6 inches high, of 

 a light brown color and usually growing in clusters, thick and fleshy, clothed with imbricated 

 scales. Flowers sessile, with lanceolate bracts at the base. Calyx irregularly 4 - 5-cleft ; 

 the segments lacerately toothed : upper lip much longer than the lower. Corolla rather longer 

 than the calyx, yellowish-white. Anthers sagittate. Style scarcely exserted : stigma capitate. 

 Capsule ovoid, acuminate. 



Shady woods in rich soil, often forming patches a foot or more in diameter ; rather rare. 

 On the Island of New-York, and in the Highlands of the Hudson ; Oriskany (Mr. Vasey) ; 

 Greece, Monroe county (Dr. Bradley) ; Schoharie county (Dr. Knieskern). It is sometimes 

 called Cancer-root, and was formerly in repute as a remedy for cancer. (See Wood § Baches 

 V. S. Dispens. app. 1098.) 



** Anoplanthus, Entll. Calyx campa.nulate, 5-cleft. Corolla almost equally b-lobed. Anther-cells distinct, mucronate. 

 Placental 4, distant. — Stems short, with one or several elongated l-Jlowered peduncles at the summit. 



2. Orobanche uniflora, Linn. Long-stalked Broom-rape. 



Stem very short, covered with oblong scales, usually with two single-flowered scape-like 

 pubescent peduncles at the summit, the scales smoothish, concave; calyx equally 5-cleft ; 

 lobes of the corolla nearly equal, oblong-oval, entire, with a colored pubescent margin ; 

 stamens included, smooth ; anthers ciliate. — Linn. sp. 2. p. 433 , Walt. fl. Car. p. 166 ; 

 Michx. fl. 2. p. 26 ; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 431 ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 135 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 244 ; 

 Beck, hot. p. 260 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 377. O. biflora, Nutt. gen. 2. p. 59 ; Hook. fl. 

 Bor.-Am. 2. p. 93. Anoplanthus uniflora, End/, iconog. t. 72. 



Root perennial, composed of matted fleshy fibres, which are attached to the living rootlets 

 of other plants. Whole plant of a yellowish-white color. Stems usually fasciculate and. 

 somewhat branched, imbricated with scales. Peduncles 2-5 inches long, slender, viscidly 

 pubescent, usually two together, but sometimes more, or solitary. Calyx deeply 5-cleft ; the 

 segments linear-lanceolate. Corolla pubescent, incurved, three times as long as the calyx, 

 marked with blue veins ; the segments fringed with a delicate blue border ; tlie palate with 

 two yellow ridges. Stamens short : anthers white, sagittate. Stigma bilatnellate. Capsule 

 ovoid ; the numerous seeds attached to four narrow parietal placental. 



Shady woods ; frequent. Fl. May - June. Fr. July. 



