Orobanche ramosa, L.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1972, Flora Europaea. Volume 3. Diapensiacea to Myoporaceae, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press : 288

1. O. ramosa L. , Sp. Pl. 633 (1753)

( Phelypaea ramosa (L.) C. A. Meyer ).

Stems 5-30(-40) x 0-15-0-4(-0-6) cm, swollen at the base, simple or branched, glandular-pubescent. Leaves 3—8(—10) mm, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, acute. Inflorescence 2-25 cm, lax or dense, glandular-pubescent; bracts 6-8(-10) mm, ovate-lanceolate; bracteoles linear-lanceolate, about equalling calyx; pedicels O-5(-8) mm. Calyx 6-8 mm. Corolla 10-22 mm, glandular-pubescent, suberect and inflated at base, erecto-patent and tubular-infundibuliform distally, whitish at base, cream, blue or violet distally (rarely white throughout); lower lip somewhat deflexed with suborbicular to elliptical, entire or denticulate lobes. Filaments glabrous, or hairy at the base, inserted 3-6 mm above base of corolla; anthers glabrous, or sparsely hairy at the base. Stigma white, cream or pale blue. Capsule 6-7(-10) mm. 2n = 24. On a wide variety o f hosts. S. & S.C. Europe; naturalized further north. Al *Au BI Bu Co Cr Ga G r He Hs *Hu It Ju Lu Rm Rs (*C, W, K, E) Sa Si Tu [Be Br Cz Ge Ho Po].

Very variable; within the limits of the species as here defined more than 20 variants have been described under binomials. Analysis of the literature, however, shows that (apart from a few extreme variants only once collected) there is no discontinuity in variation of the characters relied on for the discrimination of species; nor are they always constant within a gathering. Although differentiation seems to have proceeded along ecological rather than geographical lines, it seems best to recognize 3 rather illdefined subspecies.

1 Corolla (15—)18—22 mm (c) subsp. mutelii 1 Corolla 10—15(—17) mm

2 Calyx-teeth acuminate, usually shorter than tube; lobes of lower lip of corolla obtuse (a) subsp. ramosa 2 Calyx-teeth filiform-subulate at apex, usually as long as tube;

lobes of lower lip of corolla acute (b) subsp. nana