Orobanchaceae

views updated

Orobanchaceae A family of totally parasitic herbs, devoid of chlorophyll, that are often specific root parasites of particular angiosperms. The flowers are borne in spikes or racemes, or rarely are solitary, on stems that bear only scale-like leaves. The flowers are irregular and 2-lipped, and very close in structure to those of the Scrophulariaceae, but the ovary is 1-celled, though with a 2-lobed stigma, and there are 4 stamens. The fruit is a capsule. There are some 17 genera, with 230 species, occurring chiefly in the warmer temperate parts of the Old World.

More From encyclopedia.com