''Bellardia trixago'' is a
species of flowering plant in the family
Orobanchaceae (it has been formerly classified in the family
Scrophulariaceae). The only member of the
monotypic genus ''Bellardia'', it is known as trixago bartsia
or Mediterranean lineseed. This plant is native to the
Mediterranean Basin
In biogeography, the Mediterranean Basin (; also known as the Mediterranean Region or sometimes Mediterranea) is the region of lands around the Mediterranean Sea that have mostly a Mediterranean climate, with mild to cool, rainy winters and w ...
, but it is known in other places with similar climates, such as
California and parts of
Chile, where it is an
introduced species and
noxious weed
A noxious weed, harmful weed or injurious weed is a weed that has been designated by an agricultural or other governing authority as a plant that is injurious to agricultural or horticultural crops, natural habitats or ecosystems, or humans or liv ...
.
Etymology
The genus name ''Bellardia'' is a
taxonomic patronym in honor of
Carlo Antonio Lodovico Bellardi (1741-1826), an Italian botanist from
Piedmont.
The species name ''trixago'' has two possible etymologies.
* It derives from the
ancient Greek word (), meaning "hair",
and the
Latin suffix ''ago'' used to indicate a property, and refers to the glandular-hairy characteristic of the plant.
* It derives from the
ancient Greek word , , or (, , or ), meaning "triple",
and refers to the trilobate lower lip of the flower.
It is also the old Latin name of germanders (genus ''
Teucrium'').
Description
This is an erect plant often reaching over half a meter in height. Its foliage is rich green and dotted with glands and hairs. The sawtoothed leaves extend about halfway up the plant, with the upper half of the stem being occupied with a stout
inflorescence which narrows to a point. The inflorescence has rows of leaflike
bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of ...
s, between which emerge showy purple and white lipped, hooded flowers, each over two centimeters wide. The fruit is a smooth, green capsule. Mediterranean lineseed, like other broomrapes, is
parasitic; this species is hemiparasitic in that it is green and photosynthetic but also taps into the roots of other plants to extract nutrients.
Phylogeny
The phylogeny of the genera of
Rhinantheae has been explored using molecular characters.
''Bellardia'' belongs to the core Rhinantheae. ''Bellardia'' is closely related to ''
Parentucellia
''Parentucellia'' is a small genus of flowering plants in the family Orobanchaceae containing about four species. They are known generally as glandweeds. The genus was named for Pope Nicholas V, whose surname was Parentucelli.
Phylogeny
The phyl ...
'', to some ''
Bartsia'' taxa, and to ''
Odontites''.
In turn, these genera share phylogenetic affinities with ''
Tozzia
''Tozzia'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants within the broomrape family Orobanchaceae. It contains a unique species, ''Tozzia alpina''.
While the plant in its young, vegetative stage is holoparasite, it becomes hemiparasite in its flowe ...
'' and ''
Hedbergia
''Hedbergia'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants, initially classified in Scrophulariaceae, and now within the broomrape family Orobanchaceae. It contains a unique species, ''Hedbergia abyssinica''. It is an afromontane genus, widespread in ...
'', and then with ''
Euphrasia'' and ''
Bartsia''.
References
External links
*
Jepson Manual TreatmentCalifornia Invasive Plant CouncilPhoto gallery
Orobanchaceae
Parasitic plants
{{Orobanchaceae-stub