Orobanche bulbosa

Orobanche bulbosa
Conservation status
	; Apparently Secure (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Orobanchaceae
Genus:	Orobanche
Species:	O. bulbosa
Binomial name
	Orobanche bulbosa; (A.Gray) G.Beck
Synonyms
	Aphyllon tuberosum; Myzorrhiza tuberosa; Phelipaea tuberosa

Orobanche bulbosa is a species of plant known by the common name chaparral broomrape.

It is native to the chaparral of California and Baja California. It is a parasite growing attached to the roots of shrubs, usually chamise.

Description

Orobanche bulbosa arises from a thick root and a bulbous, twisted, scaly stem base, and grows erect to a maximum height near 30 centimetres (12 in). As a parasite taking its nutrients from a host plant, it lacks leaves and chlorophyll. It is dark purple to nearly black in color, with tiny whitish bumps bearing hairs.

The inflorescence is a dense spike-like or pyramid-shaped cluster of generally over 20 flowers. Each flower is tubular, between 1 and 2 centimetres (0.4 and 0.8 in) long, and yellow to purple in color.

The fruit is a capsule containing minute seeds.

External links

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