Melampyrum pratense
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- mel-am-PY-rum pray-TEN-see
- Description
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An annual hemiparasite of woods, scrub, heaths and upland moorlands on well-drained, nutrient-poor acidic soils; more rarely in scrub, hedgerows and deciduous woodland on chalk and limestone. The large seeds are distributed by ants.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Melampyrum
- Species:
- pratense
- Family:
- Orobanchaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Europe to Central Siberia
- Distribution:
- Woods, bogs, rocky slopes; dry sandy sites
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Wildflower
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Cultural Conditions:
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
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Fruit:
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- Elliptic, flat, capsule roughly twice as long as calyx, usually with 4 seeds.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Description:
- Single, long-tubed pale yellow flowers in the axils of the upper leaves in pairs, all turning one way; green leafy bracts
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Leaves:
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Stalkless narrow, tapering, smooth leaves in distant pairs, each pair at right angles to those next to it
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Rock Garden
