Cistanche tinctoria (Forssk.) Beck, 1904

Ben-Natan, Dar & Thorogood, Chris, 2025, A revision of the genus Cistanche (Orobanchaceae) in Israel, and considerations for its taxonomic circumscription in the Middle East, PhytoKeys 260, pp. 213-236 : 213-236

Cistanche tinctoria (Forssk.) Beck

Description.

A holoparasitic (achlorophyllous), glabrous herb, with a stout stem, swollen at the base. Plant robust, 30–150 cm, stem purple to dark purplish-brown, 15–40 mm in diameter. Lower scales dense, constricted, entire, triangular, dark, 5–10 × 5–10 mm. Middle and upper scales and floral bracts triangular-lanceolate, entire, scarious and markedly serrate along the margins, purple to dark purplish-brown, 7–15 × 15–30 mm. Inflorescence a dense, many-flowered spike, 20–150 cm long, 5–15 cm in diameter. Floral bracts about as long as calyx or somewhat longer. Floral bracteoles 2, linear or lanceolate, obtuse, 2–6 × 10–20 mm, pale lilac to dark purple, scarious and serrate along the margin, attached to the calyx base and equal or slightly shorter than calyx. Calyx tubular-campanulate, pale lilac to dark purple, 10–22 mm. Calyx lobes 5, equal or subequal with one slightly shorter lobe, oblong-rounded, entire, scarious and serrate at the margin. The upper lobe is shorter than the rest by up to 3 mm. Corolla infundibuliform, pentamerous, 35–45 mm. Corolla tube tinged lilac to purple externally (conspicuous, especially in bud), yellow within with two shallow yellow folds inside. Corolla tube arched beneath the middle. Inner tube more or less short-pubescent around the filament bases and glabrous elsewhere. Limb tinged pale violet to deep purple (mostly on upper lobes, most noticeable in bud), 15–30 mm in diameter. Corolla lobes 5, rounded, equal or the upper ones slightly smaller than the other 3, usually slightly wider than long. Stamens 4, inserted at the base of the tube, included. Filaments 20–25 mm, densely pubescent at the base and weakly, very short-pubescent or glabrous above. Anthers 3 × 5 mm, densely lanuginose, rounded-elliptic to apiculate. Stigma lobes white to pale yellow. Ovary ovate, 4–5 × 10–12 mm, white or yellowish-white with a yellow ring at base, dark brown when dry. Capsules ovoid-globose, 12–20 × 15–20 mm, dehiscent with 2 valves. Fl. January-April.

Habitat and prevalence.

Wadis in the arid desert, on sandy or loessial soils. Also in planted groves of Tamarix aphylla (L.) Karsten. at the margins of agricultural plots. In the region, it is restricted to the southern Arava Valley, from Yotvata to Eilat. It seems this species occurs in the region at the margins of its distribution, and is very rare in Israel – currently known from only 15 localities. Is it present in S. Sinai, and probably also in Jordan on the eastern side of the Arava Valley.

Host.

Observed in the region on Tamarix aphylla (L.) Karsten. Other potential hosts include: Haloxylon persicum Bunge , Caroxylon imbricatum (Forssk.) Moq. And Caroxylon gaetulum (Maire) Akhani & Roalson. Probably other desert shrubs, especially in the Amaranthaceae .

Notes.

We initially considered these populations to be a colour morph of C. tubulosa , until phylogenetic work confirmed these species are genetically distinct (in prep.). No clear, discernible morphological differences were observed between the two species, beside the purple coloration of C. tinctoria . Further work may confirm ecological differences such as habitat and host range; for example C. tubulosa (as circumscribed here) is not reported to parasitize any the host species described for C. tinctoria , and is absent from sandy substrates in the region. The taxa are not known to co-occur in the region.

Specimens examined.

Israel • Arava Valley, Samar. Sands , 4. 3. 1983, A. Liston ( HUJ 123613 !) ; Israel • S. Arava Valley, sand, crop fields north of Yotvata , coor 29°54'22.2"N, 35°04'37.9"E, 80 m, parasite on Tamarix aphylla (L.) Karsten, purple form, 17. January. 2013. Dar Ben-Natan ( TELA 2073 !) ; Sinai • Tiran Island, S. peninsula, coastal foothills N. of Gebel Tiran , small sandy wadis between low sandstone questas, 13. December. 1968. N. Tadmor & A. Danin ( HUJ 123614 !) .