Wild flowers of the north-eastern states

Chapter 46: BROOM-RAPE FAMILY. OROBANCHACEÆ.

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About This Book

This illustrated manual gathers 308 common wildflowers of the northeastern United States, each drawn life-size and accompanied by plain-language descriptions emphasizing habit, color, and growth rather than technical dissection. Organized by floral families in the sequence of Gray's Manual and arranged for seasonal bloom, entries include leaves, stems, and often whole growth, with occasional shrubs, vines, and fruit shown where notable. Aimed at amateur naturalists, it favors recognizable traits and folk names to ease identification, offers practical notes on variations and habitat, and pairs accurate botanical classification with accessible, pictorial presentation.

BROOM-RAPE FAMILY.
OROBANCHACEÆ.

Beech-drops.

Epiphegus Virginiana.

Found growing from the roots of beech trees, in August, through October.

The tough, branching stalk, from 6 to 12 inches high, is brown, inclining to reddish.

There are no leaves, and only a few dry, and unnoticeable scales occur occasionally on the stalk.

The flowers are of two kinds, the upper sterile ones have long, small, 4-notched tubes, and are dull purplish and yellowish-brown in color; the lower seed-bearing flowers appear always as small buds. They are set on short foot-stems, and are irregularly scattered along the branches.

This is a parasite, drawing its life from the root of the beech; where it looks like a dry or dead twig sticking up from the ground. It emits a most unpleasant odor.