Orobanche pinorum

Orobanche pinorum
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. pinorum
Binomial name
Orobanche pinorum Geyer ex Hook.

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

Orobanche 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.

Further reading

Ellis, Mark W.; Taylor, Ronald J.; Harrod, Richy J. (January 1999). "The reproductive biology and host specificity of Orobanche pinorum Geyer (Orobanchaceae)". Madroño. 46 (1): 7–12.

Heckard, L. R.; Chuang, T. I. (April 1975). "Chromosome Numbers and Polyploidy in Orobanche (Orobanchaceae)". Brittonia. 27 (2): 179–186. doi:10.2307/2805479. JSTOR 2805479. S2CID 8311723.

External links

• UC CalPhotos gallery of Orobanche pinorum