Melampyrum lineare

Desrousseaux

in J. Lamarck et al., Encycl. 4: 22. 1797.

Common names: Narrowleaf cow-wheat mélampyre linéaire
WeedyIllustratedEndemic
Synonyms: Melampyrum latifolium Muhlenberg ex Britton M. lineare var. americanum (Michaux) Beauverd M. lineare var. latifolium (Muhlenberg ex Britton) Beauverd M. lineare var. pectinatum (Pennell) Fernald
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 17. Treatment on page 502. Mentioned on page 499.

Annuals 5–40 cm; branches 1–3(–5) pairs, opposite, rarely with secondary branches. Leaves: blade linear to ovate, 13–55 x 2–22 mm, puberulent. Inflorescences: flower pairs 4–10; bracts resembling foliage leaves or with 1 or 2 pairs of proximal teeth. Pedicels 0–3(–5) mm. Flowers: calyx 3–5 x 2–3 mm, lobes equal to tube, often reflexed, adaxial slightly longer than abaxial; corolla 10–14 x 3–4 mm, abaxial lip with palate yellow and divided by a longitudinal groove, sinuses 1–2 mm, lanose within; anthers included in adaxial lip, hairy. Capsules 6–9 x 3–5 mm, +/- falcate, compressed. Seeds 2–4 x 0.5–1 mm, testa smooth. 2n = 18.


Phenology: Flowering May–Sep; fruiting Jul–Oct.
Habitat: Coniferous and deciduous forests, sandy glades, gravelly terraces, heaths, rocky barrens, coastal headlands, dry meadows, peatlands, fens, roadsides.
Elevation: 0–2000(–3000) m.

Distribution

St. Pierre and Miquelon, Alta., B.C., Man., N.B., Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que., Sask., Conn., Del., Ga., Idaho, Ill., Ind., Ky., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Mont., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., R.I., S.C., Tenn., Vt., Va., Wash., W.Va., Wis.

Discussion

Melampyrum lineare has been divided into four varieties on the basis of vegetative traits: leaf shape and margin, internode length, and degree of branching (or bushiness). Without exception, circumscriptions are overlapping for these traits, none of which is strictly diagnostic. Authors are also not in agreement about which varieties to recognize. Geographic ranges of the varieties are largely confluent; much of the morphological diversity of M. lineare is present throughout the range.

Melampyrum lineare is an obligate parasite insofar as it does not flower or fruit without a host (J. E. Cantlon et al. 1963). It parasitizes primarily woody plants, including Acer saccharum, Pinus banksiana, P. resinosa, P. strobus, P. sylvestris, Populus grandidentata, P. tremuloides, Quercus rubra, and Vaccinium angustifolium.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Melampyrum lineare"
Christopher P. Randle +
Desrousseaux +
Narrowleaf cow-wheat +  and mélampyre linéaire +
St. Pierre and Miquelon +, Alta. +, B.C. +, Man. +, N.B. +, Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.) +, N.S. +, Ont. +, P.E.I. +, Que. +, Sask. +, Conn. +, Del. +, Ga. +, Idaho +, Ill. +, Ind. +, Ky. +, Maine +, Md. +, Mass. +, Mich. +, Minn. +, Mont. +, N.H. +, N.J. +, N.Y. +, N.C. +, Ohio +, Pa. +, R.I. +, S.C. +, Tenn. +, Vt. +, Va. +, Wash. +, W.Va. +  and Wis. +
0–2000(–3000) m. +
Coniferous and deciduous forests, sandy glades, gravelly terraces, heaths, rocky barrens, coastal headlands, dry meadows, peatlands, fens, roadsides. +
Flowering May–Sep +  and fruiting Jul–Oct. +
in J. Lamarck et al., Encycl. +
Weedy +, Illustrated +  and Endemic +
Melampyrum latifolium +, M. lineare var. americanum +, M. lineare var. latifolium +  and M. lineare var. pectinatum +
Melampyrum lineare +
Melampyrum +
species +