Spermatophyta: Dicotyledonae: Metachlamydeae: Lamiales

Orobanchaceae - Broomrape family

Byng, J.W. (2014) The Flowering Plants Handbook Plant Gateway Limited, Hertford, UK

Description of the family

Perennial, biennial or annual herbs, subshrubs or shrubs; usually root-hemiparasites (with chlorophyll) or holoparasites (without chlorophyll). Leaves simple, opposite or alternate (spiral), scale-like in holoparasites; margins entire, toothed or deeply lobed. Venation pinnate or palmate. Inflorescence of racemes, spikes or rarely solitary flowers. Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic. Sepals fused. Petals fused, imbricate, 2-lipped; upper lip 2-lobed, lower lip 3-lobed. Ovary superior; carpels fused. Seed a loculicidal or septicidal capsule, rarely a drupe, berry or schizocarp.

Comment: The genera in this family until recently were considered part of Scrophulariaceae sensu lato. Recent research established they are a monophyletic group of hemiparasitic species forming a distinct family.

Worldwide: c. 98 genera and 2000 species, more or less cosmopolitan but especially in temperate Eurasia, tropical Africa, North America and South America, Australia and New Zealand.

Zimbabwe: 13 genera and 60 taxa.

Orobanche minor

Links to genera:     View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this family

GenusContent
Alectra Thunb.Description, Image
Buchnera L.Description, Image
Buttonia McKen ex Benth.Description
Cycnium E. Mey. ex Benth.Description, Image
Gerardiina Engl.Description, Image
Graderia Benth.Description, Image
Harveya Hook.Description, Image
Melasma P.J. BergiusDescription
Micrargeria Benth.Description, Image
Orobanche L.Description, Image
Rhamphicarpa Benth.Description, Image
Sopubia Buch-Ham. ex D. DonDescription, Image
Striga Lour.Description, Image

Other sources of information about Orobanchaceae:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Orobanchaceae
Flora of Caprivi: Orobanchaceae
Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Orobanchaceae
Flora of Malawi: Orobanchaceae
Flora of Mozambique: Orobanchaceae
Flora of Zambia: Orobanchaceae

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Orobanchaceae
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Orobanchaceae
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Orobanchaceae
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Orobanchaceae
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Orobanchaceae
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Orobanchaceae
JSTOR Plant Science: Orobanchaceae
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Orobanchaceae
Wikipedia: Orobanchaceae
Plants of the World Online: Orobanchaceae
Tropicos: Orobanchaceae



Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Family page: Orobanchaceae.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/family.php?family_id=290, retrieved 19 March 2024

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