L 4 2 2 ]
O R O B A N C H E minor.
Lcjfcr Broom-rape.
iVb
D I D T N A M I A Angiofpermia.
G en. Char. Cal. in 2, lobed, lateral fegments. Cor.
ringent. C aff. of 1 cell, with 2 valves, and many
feeds. • A gland at the bafe of the germen beneath.
Spec. Char. Stem timple. Corolla tubular; its
upper lip undivided ; lower in three curled fegments,
of which the middle one is lobed. Stamina
ciliated. Style fmooth.
Syn. Orobanche ramofa (3. Hudf. F l. A n . 266.
O. flore minore. R ail Syn. 288*.
T h i s plant is found very copioufly in various parts of Norfolk,
in fields of clover for the moft part, to the roots of which
it feems to be attached, flowering in July. We have for above
15 years paft confidered it as a diftindt fpecies from O. major,
as it unqueftionably is from ramofa; and the genushaving of
late been more ftudied and better underftood, feveral refpedtable
Botanifts have aflented to our opinion, particularly the Rev.
Mr. Sutton of Norwich, who has paid confiderable attention to
it, and who favoured us with this fpecimen laft year from near
Sheringham.
It is much fmaller in all its parts than the laft, and more
purplifh, (though fometimes found entirely of a pale yellow by
Mr. Sutton,) and the Item is more inclined to be zigzag.
Braftese folitary. Flowers tubular, fcarcely at all ventricofe.
Calyx-leaves more unequally divided, though that mark is not
abfolutely invariable. Upper lip of the corolla undivided, at
leaft till it fplits by age or violence ; lower lip in three fegments,
which are more obtufe and undulated than in 0. major; the
middle one being larger than the reft, and more or lefs per-
fedtly three-lobed. The moft important and permanent cha-
radter however confifts in the ftamina being in their lower part
thickly ciliated with projedting hairs, which we have never
found to vary, while the ftyle on the contrary is fmooth. Stigma
purple.
We think there can be no doubt that our 0 . minor is the
O. jlore minore of Dillenius in Ray’s Synopfis as above quoted,
found by Mr. Rand in Kent. Our late worthy friend Mr.
Jacob Rayer obferved it plentifully in that county. It feems to
be the plant intended under the fame denomination by John
Bauhin, but we have fome doubt of its being the Orobanche
prima of Tabernsemontanus.