''Melampyrum'' is a genus of about 20 species of

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of t ...

flowering plants in the family Orobanchaceae known commonly as cow wheat. They are native to temperate regions of the

Northern Hemisphere The Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the Equator. For other planets in the Solar System, north is defined as being in the same celestial hemisphere relative to the invariable plane of the solar system as Earth's Nort ...

. They are hemiparasites on other plants, obtaining water and nutrients from host plants, though they are able to survive on their own without parasitising other plants.Kim, K. and S. Yun. (2012)
A new species of ''Melampyrum'' (Orobanchaceae) from southern Korea.
''Phytotaxa'' 42 48-50. ''Melampyrum'' species are used as food plants by the larvae of some

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...

species, including the mouse moth (''Amphipyra tragopoginis'').

Phylogeny

The phylogeny of the genera of Rhinantheae has been explored using molecular characters. ''Melampyrum'' appears as a distant relative of other genera of Rhinantheae. It is the sister group of two clades: (i) '' Rhynchocorys'', '' Lathraea'', and '' Rhinanthus'' ; and (ii) the core Rhinantheae containing '' Bartsia'', '' Euphrasia'', ''

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 ...

'', ''

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 ...

'', '' Bellardia'', and '' Odontites''.

Taxonomy

Selected species

* ''

Melampyrum arvense ''Melampyrum arvense'', commonly known as field cow-wheat, is an herbaceous flowering plant of the genus ''Melampyrum'' in the family Orobanchaceae. It is striking because of the conspicuous spike of pink or purple terminal bracts which includes ...

'' (field cow-wheat). Europe. * ''

Melampyrum cristatum ''Melampyrum cristatum'', also known as Crested cow-wheat is a species of flowering plant belonging to the family Orobanchaceae. Description ''M. cristatum'' is an annual herb species which reaches heights of 15-40cm. Stems are erect and red ...

'' (crested cow-wheat). Europe. * ''

Melampyrum klebelsbergianum ''Melampyrum'' is a genus of about 20 species of herbaceous flowering plants in the family Orobanchaceae known commonly as cow wheat. They are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. They are hemiparasites on other plants, obtai ...

''. Asia. * ''

Melampyrum koreanum ''Melampyrum'' is a genus of about 20 species of herbaceous flowering plants in the family Orobanchaceae known commonly as cow wheat. They are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. They are hemiparasites on other plants, obtai ...

''. Asia. * ''

Melampyrum laxum ''Melampyrum'' is a genus of about 20 species of herbaceous flowering plants in the family Orobanchaceae known commonly as cow wheat. They are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. They are hemiparasites on other plants, obtai ...

''. Asia. * ''

Melampyrum lineare ''Melampyrum lineare'', commonly called the narrowleaf cow wheat, is an herbaceous plant in the family Orobanchaceae. It is native to North America, where it is found in southern Canada and the northern United States, with an extension south in t ...

'' (narrowleaf cow-wheat).

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

. * '' Melampyrum nemorosum'' (wood cow-wheat). Europe. * ''

Melampyrum pratense ''Melampyrum pratense'', the common cow-wheat, is a plant species in the family Orobanchaceae. The seed of the plant has an elaiosome, which is attractive to wood ants (''Formica'' spp.). The ants disperse the seeds of the plant when they take ...

'' (common cow-wheat). Europe. * '' Melampyrum roseum''. Asia. * '' Melampyrum saxosum''. Europe. * ''

Melampyrum sylvaticum ''Melampyrum sylvaticum'', the small cow-wheat, is a plant species in the genus '' Melampyrum''. References External links Orobanchaceae Flora of Europe Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus {{Orobanchaceae-stub ...

'' (small cow-wheat). Europe.

References

External links

Orobanchaceae genera Orobanchaceae Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Parasitic plants {{Orobanchaceae-stub