Pictorial guide to the flora of the British Isles

Home ⟩ Pictorial Guide ⟩ Orobanchaceae ⟩ Orobanche alba / thyme broomrape

Orobanche alba Stephan ex Willd.

thyme broomrape (Orobanchaceae)

 SpreadBias within British IslesDirection of bias
RestrictedStrong tendencyNW
Plant Atlas 2020
BSBI Distribution Map

Orobanche alba is a parasite of Thymus drucei and some other labiates, found in some western parts of the British Isles; our plants are var. rubra, a strongly red-tinged variety.

Lizard (VC1: West Cornwall & Scillies); 2021-07-13

 thyme broomrape / Orobanche alba: _Orobanche alba_ is a <a href="parasite.html">parasite</a> of _Thymus drucei_ and some other labiates, found in some western parts of the British Isles; our plants are var. _rubra_, a strongly red-tinged variety.

Continental plants (belonging to Orobanche alba var. alba) are much paler.

Bergamo (BG), Italy; 2018-07-02

 thyme broomrape / Orobanche alba: Continental plants (belonging to _Orobanche alba_ var. _alba_) are much paler.

The red-based glandular hairs on the corolla separate Orobanche alba from all our other broomrapes except the rare easterly species Orobanche reticulata.

Bergamo (BG), Italy; 2018-07-02

 thyme broomrape / Orobanche alba: The red-based glandular hairs on the corolla separate _Orobanche alba_ from all our other broomrapes except the rare easterly species _Orobanche reticulata_.

All images copyright © Christopher J. Dixon unless otherwise indicated.

L-R: Bidens tripartita, Melilotus officinalis, Mimulus guttatus, Thalictrum flavum, Ranunculus peltatus, Anchusa arvensis, Malva alcea, Lolium perenne