''Rhinanthus minor'', known as yellow rattle, is a
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 ...
wildflower in the genus ''
Rhinanthus
''Rhinanthus'' is a genus of annual hemiparasitic herbaceous plants in the family Orobanchaceae, formerly classified in the family Scrophulariaceae. Its species are commonly known as rattles. The genus consists of about 30 to 40 species found in ...
'' in the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Orobanchaceae
Orobanchaceae, the broomrapes, is a family of mostly parasitic plants of the order Lamiales, with about 90 genera and more than 2000 species. Many of these genera (e.g., ''Pedicularis'', ''Rhinanthus'', ''Striga'') were formerly included in the ...
(the broomrapes). It has circumpolar distribution in Europe, Russia, western Asia, and northern North America.
An
annual plant
An annual plant is a plant that completes its life cycle, from germination to the production of seeds, within one growing season, and then dies. The length of growing seasons and period in which they take place vary according to geographical ...
, yellow rattle grows up to tall, with upright stems and opposite, simple leaves. The fruit is a dry
capsule, with loose, rattling seeds.
The preferred
habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
of ''Rhinanthus minor'' is dry fields or meadows; it tolerates a wide range of soil types. It flowers in the summer between May and September. It is
hemiparasitic
A parasitic plant is a plant that derives some or all of its nutritional requirements from another living plant. They make up about 1% of angiosperms and are found in almost every biome. All parasitic plants develop a specialized organ called the ...
, notably on
Poaceae
Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns an ...
(grasses) and
(legumes), and farmers consider it to be a pest, as it reduces grass growth.
Yellow rattle is used to create or restore wildflower meadows, where it maintains species diversity by suppressing dominant grasses and the recycling of soil nutrients. The seed is sown thinly onto
grassland
A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur natur ...
from August to November—to germinate the following spring, the seeds need to remain in the soil throughout the winter months.
Description
Yellow rattle is a
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 ...
annual plant
An annual plant is a plant that completes its life cycle, from germination to the production of seeds, within one growing season, and then dies. The length of growing seasons and period in which they take place vary according to geographical ...
that resembles the larger greater yellow rattle (''
Rhinanthus angustifolius
''Rhinanthus angustifolius'', the narrow-leaved rattle or greater yellow-rattle, is a plant species of the genus '' Rhinanthus''. It is an annual wildflower native to temperate grasslands in much of Europe, and north and central Western Asia. The ...
'').
The plant grows to up to tall, with opposite, simple leaves measuring × .
The leaves are
sessile
Sessility, or sessile, may refer to:
* Sessility (motility), organisms which are not able to move about
* Sessility (botany), flowers or leaves that grow directly from the stem or peduncle of a plant
* Sessility (medicine), tumors and polyps that ...
(they grow directly from the stem), somewhat heart-shaped at the base, otherwise ovate (oval-shaped) to lanceolate (shaped like a lance tip), dentate (toothed) and scabrid (a little rough to the touch). The stem, which stands upright, can be simple or branched, is four-angled and often streaked or spotted black.
The yellow flowers are across and have a straight tube for the petals. The silvery-coloured fruit is a dry
capsule, which contains loose, rattling seeds when ripe that give the plant one of its common names.
The
herbalist
Herbal medicine (also herbalism) is the study of pharmacognosy and the use of medicinal plants, which are a basis of traditional medicine. With worldwide research into pharmacology, some herbal medicines have been translated into modern remed ...
Nicholas Culpeper
Nicholas Culpeper (18 October 1616 – 10 January 1654) was an English botanist, herbalist, physician and astrologer.Patrick Curry: "Culpeper, Nicholas (1616–1654)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (Oxford, UK: OUP, 2004) His boo ...
, in his ''The English Physician'' (first published in 1652), wrote of yellow rattle as being "good for cough, or dimness of sight". The plant has a reputation of being toxic to animals. The seeds contain
iridoid
Iridoids are a type of monoterpenoids in the general form of cyclopentanopyran, found in a wide variety of plants and some animals. They are biosynthetically derived from 8-oxogeranial. Iridoids are typically found in plants as glycosides, mos ...
s which cause them to have a bitter taste.
Taxonomy
''Rhinanthus minor'' is a
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
in the genus ''
Rhinanthus
''Rhinanthus'' is a genus of annual hemiparasitic herbaceous plants in the family Orobanchaceae, formerly classified in the family Scrophulariaceae. Its species are commonly known as rattles. The genus consists of about 30 to 40 species found in ...
'' in the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Orobanchaceae
Orobanchaceae, the broomrapes, is a family of mostly parasitic plants of the order Lamiales, with about 90 genera and more than 2000 species. Many of these genera (e.g., ''Pedicularis'', ''Rhinanthus'', ''Striga'') were formerly included in the ...
. It was described by the Swedish taxonomist
Carl Linnaeus
Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...
in volume 3 of ''Amoenitates Academici'' (1756).
The species name is derived from
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...
and means 'nose flower', which is in reference to the shape of the upper lip of the
corolla. ''Minor'' means 'smaller'.
Synonyms
A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are all ...
include:
* ''Alectorolophus minor''
( Dumort)
* ''Fistularia minor''
Kuntze Kuntze is a surname of German origin. People with that name include:
* Carl Kuntze (1922-2006), Dutch rower who competed at the 1952 Summer Olympics
* Edward J. Kuntze (1826-1870), Prussian-born American sculptor
* Otto Kuntze (1843-1907), German ...
* ''Rhinanthus crista-galli''
L., the name
Linnaeus
Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...
gave the species
* ''Rhinanthus crista-galli'' var. ''fallax''
( Wimm. & Grab.) Druce
* ''Rhinanthus rigidus''
Chabert
* ''Rhinanthus stenophyllus''
( Schur) Schinz & Thell Thell may refer to:
*Thell Reed (fl. 1950s–2000s), American exhibition shooter
* Victor Thell (fl. 2010s–2020s), musician in the Swedish pop/folk duo Smith & Thell
*Linda Thell, Real Estate Agent - Realtor in NJ. Owner and Founder of "Thell Rea ...
* ''Rhinanthus crista-galli'' var. ''fallax''
( Wimm. & Grab.) Druce
* ''Rhinanthus kyrollae''
Chabert
* ''Rhinanthus borealis'' subsp. ''kyrollae''
(Chabert) Pennell
Distribution and ecology
![Yellow rattle plants with flowers and seed capsules](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Yellow_rattle_plants_with_flowers_and_seed_capsules.jpg)
''Rhinanthus minor'' is found in Europe, western Russia, western Siberia, northern USA and throughout Canada.
The preferred
habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
of ''rhinanthus minor'' is dry fields or meadows, where its flowering period is in the summer between May and September, but it can thrive with semi-natural species-rich
water-meadows. It can tolerate a wide range of soil types but does not grow where the soil has a
pH less than 5.0.
Yellow rattle flowers are pollinated by bumblebees during the summer months; the plant is also capable of
self-fertilization
Autogamy, or self-fertilization, refers to the fusion of two gametes that come from one individual. Autogamy is predominantly observed in the form of self-pollination, a reproductive mechanism employed by many flowering plants. However, species ...
.
Yellow rattle is an annual wildflower.
It is
hemiparasitic
A parasitic plant is a plant that derives some or all of its nutritional requirements from another living plant. They make up about 1% of angiosperms and are found in almost every biome. All parasitic plants develop a specialized organ called the ...
, in that it can gain its nutrients by penetrating the roots of neighbouring green plants with its own roots,
but is a
facultative parasite
A facultative parasite is an organism that may resort to parasitic activity, but does not absolutely rely on any host for completion of its life cycle.
Examples of facultative parasitism occur among many species of fungi, such as family members ...
, in that it acts opportunistically when in contact with a root. The hemiparasitic nature of yellow rattle can result in stunted, unbranched individual specimens. The plant can associate with many different
host species
In biology and medicine, a host is a larger organism that harbours a smaller organism; whether a parasitic, a mutualistic, or a commensalist ''guest'' ( symbiont). The guest is typically provided with nourishment and shelter. Examples include ...
, notably
Poaceae
Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns an ...
(grasses) and
(legumes).
In Ireland and Scotland, yellow rattle is often associated with
Machair
A machair (; sometimes machar in English) is a fertile low-lying grassy plain found on part of the northwest coastlines of Ireland and Scotland, in particular the Outer Hebrides. The best examples are found on North and South Uist, Harri ...
habitat, which consists of coastal grassland. The seeds are spread effectively by traditional hay-making practices.
Farmers seek to remove it since it affects yields by weakening grass; it is an indicator of poor grassland.
Conservation status
''Rhinanthus minor'' is found in low-lying fields with poor quality soil. It is currently not under threat; as such it is rated as of Least Concern (LC).
Being an annual, it is not found in regularly mown or grazed grassland where the seeds are not provided with an opportunity to spread over the ground.
The lack of a seed bank for yellow rattle means that it depends on seed produced from plants during the previous year.
Research, including that at the UK's
Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
The UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) is a centre for excellence in environmental science across water, land and air.
The organisation has a long history of investigating, monitoring and modelling environmental change, and its science ma ...
, has shown that encouraging it to grow in hay meadows greatly increases
biodiversity
Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...
, by restricting grass growth and thereby allowing other species to thrive.
Pasture and hay field infestation
In the northeastern United States, yellow rattle is considered a pest, as it decreases
crop yield
In agriculture, the yield is a measurement of the amount of a crop grown, or product such as wool, meat or milk produced, per unit area of land. The seed ratio is another way of calculating yields.
Innovations, such as the use of fertilizer, the c ...
s of grass and hay. Where the plant is found to have infested farmland it has to be suppressed; non-
herbicidal strategies for removing it include the application of wood ash and sawdust on affected pastures.
Uses and cultivation
![Rhinanthus minor MHNT](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/Rhinanthus_minor_MHNT.BOT.2004.0.396.jpg)
Yellow rattle is used to proactively create or restore wildflower meadows. It is used to reduce the dominance of grasses, when more expensive methods, such as removing the nutrient-rich
topsoil
Topsoil is the upper layer of soil. It has the highest concentration of organic matter and microorganisms and is where most of the Earth's biological soil activity occurs.
Description
Topsoil is composed of mineral particles and organic matt ...
, or impractical methods, such as changing the timing and intensity of grazing, cannot be used.
This improves the chances of other species of flowers becoming established. According to
Natural England
Natural England is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. It is responsible for ensuring that England's natural environment, including its land, flora and fauna, ...
, the optimum density of yellow rattle plants needed to enable other species to be introduced is 100 to 200 per m
2.
Studies have shown that the plant's role in maintaining species diversity is through differential growth suppression effects and enhanced soil nutrient recycling.
The yellow rattle seed is sown thinly onto
grassland
A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur natur ...
where gaps have been created,
or where all the grass has been cut back and the clippings removed.
Seeds can be also be introduced by the spreading of green hay.
The grass should be kept short until the beginning of March, after which the seedlings become established.
After the yellow rattle plants have
germinated and matured, the fruits shed their seeds. The meadow hay is cut and removed to encourage the growth introduced wild flowers.
The seed, which is short-lived, is sown in the autumn, using seed harvested that year.
The seeds have to remain on or under the ground throughout the cold months of winter in order to germinate in the spring.
Notes
References
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Further reading
*
*
External links
*
*
{{Authority control, state=collapsed
minor
Parasitic plants
Rhinanthus minor
''Rhinanthus minor'', known as yellow rattle, is a herbaceous wildflower in the genus ''Rhinanthus'' in the family Orobanchaceae (the broomrapes). It has circumpolar distribution in Europe, Russia, western Asia, and northern North America. An an ...
Rhinanthus minor
''Rhinanthus minor'', known as yellow rattle, is a herbaceous wildflower in the genus ''Rhinanthus'' in the family Orobanchaceae (the broomrapes). It has circumpolar distribution in Europe, Russia, western Asia, and northern North America. An an ...
Rhinanthus minor
''Rhinanthus minor'', known as yellow rattle, is a herbaceous wildflower in the genus ''Rhinanthus'' in the family Orobanchaceae (the broomrapes). It has circumpolar distribution in Europe, Russia, western Asia, and northern North America. An an ...
Rhinanthus minor
''Rhinanthus minor'', known as yellow rattle, is a herbaceous wildflower in the genus ''Rhinanthus'' in the family Orobanchaceae (the broomrapes). It has circumpolar distribution in Europe, Russia, western Asia, and northern North America. An an ...
Rhinanthus minor
''Rhinanthus minor'', known as yellow rattle, is a herbaceous wildflower in the genus ''Rhinanthus'' in the family Orobanchaceae (the broomrapes). It has circumpolar distribution in Europe, Russia, western Asia, and northern North America. An an ...
Rhinanthus minor
''Rhinanthus minor'', known as yellow rattle, is a herbaceous wildflower in the genus ''Rhinanthus'' in the family Orobanchaceae (the broomrapes). It has circumpolar distribution in Europe, Russia, western Asia, and northern North America. An an ...
Rhinanthus minor
''Rhinanthus minor'', known as yellow rattle, is a herbaceous wildflower in the genus ''Rhinanthus'' in the family Orobanchaceae (the broomrapes). It has circumpolar distribution in Europe, Russia, western Asia, and northern North America. An an ...
Rhinanthus minor
''Rhinanthus minor'', known as yellow rattle, is a herbaceous wildflower in the genus ''Rhinanthus'' in the family Orobanchaceae (the broomrapes). It has circumpolar distribution in Europe, Russia, western Asia, and northern North America. An an ...
Flora of Latvia
Flora of Lithuania
Rhinanthus minor
''Rhinanthus minor'', known as yellow rattle, is a herbaceous wildflower in the genus ''Rhinanthus'' in the family Orobanchaceae (the broomrapes). It has circumpolar distribution in Europe, Russia, western Asia, and northern North America. An an ...
Rhinanthus minor
''Rhinanthus minor'', known as yellow rattle, is a herbaceous wildflower in the genus ''Rhinanthus'' in the family Orobanchaceae (the broomrapes). It has circumpolar distribution in Europe, Russia, western Asia, and northern North America. An an ...
Flora of Romania
Rhinanthus minor
''Rhinanthus minor'', known as yellow rattle, is a herbaceous wildflower in the genus ''Rhinanthus'' in the family Orobanchaceae (the broomrapes). It has circumpolar distribution in Europe, Russia, western Asia, and northern North America. An an ...
Rhinanthus minor
''Rhinanthus minor'', known as yellow rattle, is a herbaceous wildflower in the genus ''Rhinanthus'' in the family Orobanchaceae (the broomrapes). It has circumpolar distribution in Europe, Russia, western Asia, and northern North America. An an ...
Rhinanthus minor
''Rhinanthus minor'', known as yellow rattle, is a herbaceous wildflower in the genus ''Rhinanthus'' in the family Orobanchaceae (the broomrapes). It has circumpolar distribution in Europe, Russia, western Asia, and northern North America. An an ...