Kingdom Plantae Family Orobanchaceae Scientific name Orobanche pinorum Rank Species | Order Lamiales Genus Orobanche Higher classification Orobanche | |
Similar Orobanche, Orobanche vallicola, Orobanche corymbosa, Orobanche californica, Orobanche bulbosa | ||
Orobanche pinorum is a species of broomrape known by the common name conifer broomrape. It is native to the forests of western North America, where it is a parasite growing attached to the roots of other plants, usually Holodiscus species. This plant has an erect stem with a wide, thickened base and slender top growing 10–30 centimetres (3.9–11.8 in) tall. As a parasite taking its nutrients from a host plant, it lacks leaves and chlorophyll and is brownish or yellowish in color. The inflorescence is a dense, spreading array of purple-tinged yellowish flowers 1–2 centimetres (0.39–0.79 in) long.
Reproduction
O. pinorum is predominantly autogamous. It produces about 700 seeds per capsule and over 70,000 seeds per plant. There are some evidence of xenogamy, but potential pollinators were rarely observed.