Egyptian broomrape
Orobanche aegyptiaca

Family: Orobanchaceae

What it is like

A herb which grow attached to other plants. The stems are usually branched and swollen at the base. The leaves are scales and oval. The flowers are 20-35 mm long. They are blue or purple with white patches in the mouth. The anthers are densely hairy.

Where it is found

It grows on various crop plants like potatoes, maize, peas, beans and cucumbers. Also in watermelon. In western China it grows in fields between 100-1,400 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Afghanistan, Africa, Arabia, Asia, Bangladesh, Central Asia, China, Egypt, Himalayas, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mediterranean, Middle East, Nepal, North Africa, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

How it is used for food

The flower stalk is removed and dried. It is reduced to flour and mixed with barley flour. The plant is also eaten raw or boiled.

Edible parts

Flower stem

How it is grown

Phelypæa aegyptiaca (Hook. f. & Thomas ex Hook. f.) Walp. Tunisia: the floral stem is removed at a point beneath the flower. Being starchy, it is dried, reduced to a flour and then mixed with barley flour. The Chambaa and the Touareg eat the plant raw or boiled. It is considered diuretic. Ref. BOUQUET.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Orobanche indica Buch.-Ham. ex Roxb.; Phelypaea aegyptiaca (Pers.) Walp.; Phelypaea indica (Buch.-Ham.) G. Don;