''Orobanche californica'', known by the common name California broomrape, is a species of broomrape. It is a parasitic plant growing attached to the roots of other plants, usually members of the Asteraceae.

Distribution

''Orobanche californica'' is native to western North America from British Columbia and Idaho, through California and Nevada, to Baja California.USDA
. accessed 5.15.2013 It is found in many types of habitats. It has been noted to be associated with California goldenrod (''Solidago californica'') and sagebrush (''Artemisia tridentata'').

Description

This plant arises from a thick root and grows erect to a maximum height near , with one stem or a cluster of several. As a parasite taking its nutrients from a host plant, it lacks

leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...

and

chlorophyll Chlorophyll (also chlorophyl) is any of several related green pigments found in cyanobacteria and in the chloroplasts of algae and plants. Its name is derived from the Greek words , ("pale green") and , ("leaf"). Chlorophyll allow plants to a ...

. It is light to dark purple in color and coated with glandular hairs. The inflorescence is an elongated or branching array of several flowers. Each flower is tubular, up to 5 centimeters long, and pale pink, yellowish, or purple in color, sometimes with stark veining. The fruit is a capsule containing minute seeds.

Subspecies

There are several subspecies, which are sometimes difficult to differentiate. They include: *''Orobanche californica'' ssp. ''californica'' — native to coastal habitats, central California to B.C., parasitizes ''

Grindelia ''Grindelia'' (gumweed) is a genus of plants native to the Americas belonging to the family Asteraceae. The genus was named for Latvian botanist David Hieronymus Grindel, 1776–1836. They are herbaceous plants or subshrubs with annual, biennial ...

'' *''Orobanche californica'' subsp. ''condensa'' — endemic to California, in the Southern California Coast Ranges and western Transverse Ranges. *''Orobanche californica'' ssp. ''feudgei'' — grows on

chaparral Chaparral ( ) is a shrubland plant community and geographical feature found primarily in the U.S. state of California, in southern Oregon, and in the northern portion of the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico. It is shaped by a Mediterranean c ...

plants, native to dry areas in

Sierra Nevada The Sierra Nevada () is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primarily ...

and Transverse Ranges in California, and

Peninsular Ranges The Peninsular Ranges (also called the Lower California province) are a group of mountain ranges that stretch from Southern California to the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula; they are part of the North American Coast Ranges, which ...

in southern California and northern Baja California. *''Orobanche californica'' ssp. ''grandis'' — uncommon subspecies endemic to California, found in coastal areas of San Luis Obispo County and northern Santa Barbara County, and on Santa Rosa Island of the northern Channel Islands. *''Orobanche californica'' ssp. ''grayana'' — native to moist meadows/stream banks in the San Francisco Bay Area, northern

, and Modoc Plateau; on '' Erigeron'' and '' Aster'' *''Orobanche californica'' ssp. ''jepsonii'' — Jepson's broomrape, Jepson's california broom rape, uncommon below , native from southern Sierra/ San Joaquin Valley/ Santa Barbara County, north to Oregon border; found on assorted Asteraceae.

Uses

The

Paiute people Paiute (; also Piute) refers to three non-contiguous groups of indigenous peoples of the Great Basin. Although their languages are related within the Numic group of Uto-Aztecan languages, these three groups do not form a single set. The term "Paiu ...

of eastern California and the

Great Basin The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic basin, endorheic watersheds, those with no outlets, in North America. It spans nearly all of Nevada, much of Utah, and portions of California, Idaho, Oregon, Wyoming, and Baja California ...

used a decoction as a cold remedy and pulmonary aid. University of Michigan, Dearborn—Native American Ethnobotany species account for ''Orobanche californica''
. accessed 5.15.2013

References

External links

Calflora Database: ''Orobanche californica'' (California broomrape, California orobanche)Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of ''Orobanche californica''USDA Plants Profile: ''Orobanche californica'' (California broomrape)UC CalPhotos gallery − ''Orobanche californica''
{{Clear californica Parasitic plants Flora of California Flora of Baja California Flora of British Columbia Flora of Idaho Flora of Nevada Flora of Oregon Flora of Washington (state) Flora of the Sierra Nevada (United States) Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands Natural history of the California Coast Ranges Natural history of the Peninsular Ranges Natural history of the Transverse Ranges Plants used in traditional Native American medicine Least concern biota of Mexico Least concern flora of the United States