Broomrape (Family Orobanchaceae)

Orobanchaceae, the Broomrape Family, is a family of flowering plants

of Order Lamiales, with about 90 genera and more than 2000 species.

Many of these genera were formerly included in Family Scrophulari-

aceae. Together they are a monophyletic group, forming a distinct family.

This is a cosmopolitan family, found mainly in temperate Eurasia, North

America, South America, parts of Australia, New Zealand, and tropical

Africa.

This family has tremendous economic importance because of the damage

to crops caused by some species in Genera Orobanche and Striga. The Orobanchaceae are (except Genera Lindenbergia and Rehmannia) para-

sitic on the roots of other plants.

Some genera, especially Cistanche and Conopholis, are threatened by

human activity, including habitat destruction and over-harvesting of

both the plants and their hosts.

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