Orobanche ludoviciana, the Louisiana broomrape or prairie broom-rape, is a species of plant in the family Orobanchaceae. It was first described and named by Thomas Nuttall in 1818.Collins, L. Turner, Alison E.L. Cromwell & George Yatskievych. 2019. Orobanche ludovicana In Flora of North America, vol. 17. Magnoliophyta: Tetrachondraceae to Orobanchaceae. Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. p. 481.
This species is parasitic on neighboring plants via its roots; common host species include gumweed and wormwoods, though some other Asteraceae are also used. They grow from 1-3 dm often without branches. Leaves are scales and numerous. The inflorescences are many-flowered spikes that occupy a half to a third of the shoot. Flowers sessile or with small up to 15mm pedicels for the lower flowers. Calyx subtended by 1 or 2 bracts, which are bilabiate. Corolla is 1.5-2.5 cm and often a violet-like color. 2n=24, 48, 72, 96. It typically grows in sandy soil. It grows throughout the central plains of North America and northwest into British Columbia and Oregon. Found from June through August.
Taxonomy Orobanche ludoviciana was given its scientific name by Thomas Nuttall in 1818. It is part of the genus Orobanche in the family Orobanchaceae. According to Plants of the World Online it has nine synonyms.
Table of Synonyms Name Year Rank Notes Aphyllon arenosum 1906 species = het. Aphyllon ludovicianum 1876 species ≡ hom. Conopholis ludoviciana 1861 species ≡ hom. Myzorrhiza ludoviciana 1903 species ≡ hom. Orobanche ludoviciana f. albinea 1972 form = het. Orobanche ludoviciana var. arenosa 1959 variety = het. Orobanche ludoviciana var. genuina 1890 variety ≡ hom., not validly publ. Orobanche multiflora var. arenosa 1930 variety = het. Phelypaea ludoviciana 1838 species ≡ hom. Notes: ≡ homotypic synonym; = heterotypic synonym
Conservation As of 2025 NatureServe has not evaluated Orobanche ludoviciana at the global level. It is presumed to be extripated, locally extinct, in Iowa and possibly extripated from West Virginia. It is rated as critically imperiled in Missouri and Wisconsin.
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Sources Web sources