1908.] 



Broom-Rape. 



177 



flowers, with one or two exceptions, grow in lax or dense 

 spikes. The whole plant is attached, by means of suckers 

 or haustoria, to the roots of the plant upon which it is parasitic. 

 The word Orobanche is derived from two Greek words signifying 

 a vetch and to strangle, and the name of broom-rape has doubtless 

 arisen from a species which infests broom, so being a robber 

 of broom. 



0. minor, Sutt. — The Lesser Broom-rape, 0. minor, is the 

 species which is the farmer's especial trouble, as it attacks 

 clover, and may do great harm when established amongst 

 that crop. It occurs on a variety of plants, and is found 

 southwards from the Border counties. The flowers (see coloured 

 plate) are about J in. in length, and are variously described 

 as reddish, purplish or yellowish brown in colour, many flowers 

 being crowded in a long spike. The stem ]s somewhat slender 

 compared with some other broom-rapes, and 6 in. to nearly 

 2 ft. in height. This species flowers from June to October. 

 There are several sub-species. 0. minor is found in Germany 

 only in a few States, but not infrequently in Thuringia and in 

 the Rhine country, especially Baden, where it has been so 

 harmful to clover that, it has received the name of " clover 

 devil" (Kleeteufel) * Thaer also applies this name to 0. minor. 

 This species is recorded by Kirchnerf as occurring in 

 Germany on Trijolium re-pens, T. hybridism, T. pratense,. 

 T. incarnatum, Serradella, Lotus corniculatus, Carrots and 

 Fuller's Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum). 



0. major, Linn. (== O. elatior, Sutt.). — This species of broom- 

 rape is parasitic on composites. Hooker saysj it is parasitic 

 on Centaur ea Scabiosa, but is rare. It is found, chiefly in the 

 eastern counties, from York and Durham to Sussex and 

 Somerset, and also in South Wales. The flowers are yellowish 

 and in dense spikes, flowering occurring from June to August. 



Orobanche Rapum-genistae, Thuill.— This species, known 

 as Larger Broom-rape, is brownish in colour, with flowers 

 about 1 in. in length and of a yellow and purplish tint, 



* Pflanzenkrankheiten, Dr. Paul Sorauer, p. 21. (According to Pritzel and 

 Jensen the word " Kleeteufel " is the vernacular term employed in Switzerland for 

 species of Orobanche generally). 



t Die Krankheiten und Beschadigungen unserer Landwirtschaftlichen Kultur- 

 pflanzen, Dr. O. Kirchner, p. 317. 



% The Students' Flora of the British Islands, p. 309. 



(3599) M 



