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Questions and Answers: 2021

Question: Does North America have a native flower that is semi-parasitic? The Brits have one called yellow rattle/Rhinanthus minor.

• Question

  Does North America have a native flower that is semi-parasitic? The Brits have one called yellow rattle/Rhinanthus minor.

  Answer

  Dear cordelia, good afternoon. We have a number of plants that are hemi-parasitic, that is they photosynthesize but also create invasive connections to a host plant. The family Orobanchaceae has many such hemi-parasistic (and some holoparasitic) species, including Rhinanthus minor (also found here in North America), Euphrasia (eyebright), Agalinis (agalinis), Aureolaria (false foxglove), Castilleja (painted-cup), and Melapyrum (cow-wheat). These species are united in that they possess a phytochemical (orobanchin) that causes them to darken in drying. Best wishes.