GeoGraph - photograph every grid square

Common Broomrape (Orobanche minor)

Broomrapes are wholly parasitic plants - because they have no need to photosynthesise in order to meet their nutrient requirements, they have no chlorophyll. As a result, they are virtually leafless (the leaves have been reduce to a few scales down the stem) and lack any green pigment. Some are host specific, generally indicated by their English name; others are more generalists.

As its name suggests, the Common Broomrape is our commonest broomrape, with a wide range of hosts. This example is on grassland on the Royal St Georges golf course - its host was not obvious.