Naked Broomrape, Oneflowered Broomrape, Purple Broomrape
Aphyllon purpureum
Synonyms: Orobanche uniflora, Orobanche uniflora ssp. occidentalis, Orobanche uniflora var. minuta, Orobnche uniflora ssp. occidentalis, Orobnche uniflora var. occidentalis, Orobanche uniflora var. purpurea
The photo above shows a close-up sideview of the tubular corolla of naked broomrape: Orobanche uniflora var. purpurea. Note the numerous gland-tipped hairs over the outer surface of the corolla. Photographed on slopes above the John Day River at milepost 80 along Highway 19 east of Service Creek, OR........April 8, 2007.
Photo at right of naked broomrape (var. purpurea) with Saxifraga integrifolia var. integrifolia.
Characteristics:
Naked broomrape is an attractive perennial wildflower with single,erect
floral pedicels from 5-15 cm high. The main stem is 0.5-2 cm long and is typically
buried under the soil. The herbage is typically finely glandular-hairy.
The inflorescence consists of 1-3 flowers on long pedicels.
The calyx is 6-12 mm long with the calyx tube from 2-4 mm long and the subequal
lobes from 4-9 mm long. The corolla is 15-25 mm long and yellowish to purplish
in color. The tube is curved with the lobes measuring 2-7 mm long with rounded,
finely fringed tips. The anthers are 0.9-12 mm long, ranging from glabrous to
woolly-pubescent.
Naked broomrape is parasitic on many saxifrages, sedums and members of the
Asteraceae.
Varieties of Naked Broomrape:
variety occidentalis: Flowers cream to light yellow to purplish with
the throat not much expanded. Limb is small and does not expand much. The corolla
measures 1.5-2.5 cm long. The anthers are glabrous.
variety purpurea: Flowers purplish with the throat
fairly expanded and spreading. The limb is large and expands widely. The corolla
measures 2-3.5 cm long. The anthers are woolly.
Habitat:
Naked broomrape may be found in open, moist grasslands or occasionally
in moist woodlands from the lowlands to moderate elevations in the mountains.
Range:
Naked broomrape may be found from the Yukon south to southern
California and east to Newfoundland and hence south to Florida.
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The photo at left shows a close-up of naked broomrape as seen on moist soils (where the snow has just melted) at Buckhorn Lookout on the western edge of the Imnaha Canyon in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest........June 27, 2008. There is quite a bit of northwestern saxifrage around the broomrape, so that may be what is providing nourishment for the individual broomrape plants. The photo at right shows naked broomrape as seen near Tumwater Butte, Simcoe Mountains Unit of the Klickitat Wildlife Area......May 1, 2022.
A close-up frontal view of the corolla of naked broomrape (var. purpurea). Note again the numerous gland-tipped hairs, this time covering the inner surface of the corolla lobes. Photographed on slopes above the John Day River at milepost 80 along Highway 19 east of Service Creek, OR........April 8, 2007.
Paul Slichter
