Nodding Broomrape
Orobanche cernua

Family: Orobanchaceae

What it is like

A plant that grows attached to other plants. It can grow for 2 or more years. It is 15-30 cm high. It is hairy. It usually has branched fleshy roots. The leaves are D to oval shaped and 1-2 cm long by 5-7 mm wide. The flowers are in spikes 5-20 cm long. They are tube shaped and pale yellow or dark purple. The fruit are capsules that are oblong and 1 cm long by 5-7 mm wide. The seeds are narrowly oval and 0.5 mm long by 0.2 mm wide.

There are about 140 Orobanche species.

Where it is found

It is a Mediterranean climate plant. It grows in dry soils. It can grow in arid places. In northern China it grows in grasslands and forests between 500-3,000 m above sea level. In Sichuan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Afghanistan, Africa, Arabia, Asia, Central Asia, China, East Africa, Egypt, Europe, France, Himalayas, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mediterranean, Middle East, Mongolia, Nepal, North Africa, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sinai, Spain, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tibet, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

How it is used for food

The root is roasted and eaten.

Edible parts

Root, seeds

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Tarthuth

Synonyms

Orobanche cernua var. cumana (Wallr.) G. Beck; Orobanche cernua Loefl. var. desertorum Beck; Orobanche clavata Schiman-Czeika; Orobanche cumana Wally.; Orobanche nicotiana Wight; Orobanche wendelboi Schiman-Czekia;