YARROW BROOMRAPE
Orobanche purpurea
Broomrape Family [Orobanchaceae] 
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Broomrape Family [Orobanchaceae]
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| 27th June 2009, near Freshwater, IoW. | Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone |
| Distinctively coloured flowers, differing in the blueness from all other Broomrapes. |
| 7th June 2008, near Newport, IoW. | Photo: (CC by 2.0) Ian Boyd |
| A guardian gnome looking after them. |
| 29th May 2008, near Shanklin, IoW | Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone |
| The filligree leaves of the host it parasitises, Yarrow. |
| 29th May 2008, near Shanklin, IoW | Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone |
| 29th May 2008, near Shanklin, IoW | Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone |
| 29th May 2008, near Shanklin, IoW | Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone |
| The lower lip of the flower has three lobes, the central the longer. the corolla tube also being blue-veined. |
| 29th May 2008, near Shanklin, IoW | Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone |
| Lower flowers turn to fruit first. |
| 1st June 2007, near Shanklin, IoW | Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone |
| The calyx unusually for Broomrapes has 4 teeth, two can be seen here. No other Broomrape species has this feature. Short white hairs cover the plant. |
| 1st June 2007, near Shanklin, IoW | Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone |
| The white hairs also cover the flowers. |
| 29th May 2008, near Shanklin, IoW | Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone |
| 1st June 2007, near Shanklin, IoW | Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone |
Distinctively again there are 2 small strap-shaped bracteolesat the base of the calyx (all other species of Broomrape have but one, which is longer) |
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Uniquely identifiable characteristics Distinguishing Feature : For a Broomrape: the blue flowers
No relation to : Yarrow Broomrape can suddenly reappear in the same location after decades of absence, perhaps because the seeds have lain dormant awaiting opportunity (maybe awaiting the return of the host plant, Yarrow, if it has gone) or that the plants can subsist below ground without flowering for several years. See the pull-out table below for comparisons with other Broomrapes and all their identifying and delineating characteristics.
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 Orobanche
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purpurea
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⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ |
Orobanchaceae
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 Orobanche (Broomrapes) |
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Broomrape Family [Orobanchaceae]
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BSBI maps