Melampyrum

Melampyrum
Wood Cow-wheat (Melampyrum nemorosum)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Orobanchaceae
Genus:	Melampyrum
Species
See text.

Photograph of a flowering Melampyrum nemorosum, 2005.

Melampyrum is a genus of about 10-20 species of herbaceous flowering plants in the family Orobanchaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. They are hemiparasites on other plants, obtaining some mineral nutrients from the host plant, though they are able to survive on their own without parasitising other plants.

Melampyrum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Mouse Moth.

Selected species

• Melampyrum arvense (Field Cow-wheat). Europe.
• Melampyrum cristatum (Crested Cow-wheat). Europe.
• Melampyrum klebelsbergianum. Asia.
• Melampyrum laxum. Asia.
• Melampyrum lineare (Narrowleaf Cow-wheat). North America.
• Melampyrum nemorosum (Wood Cow-wheat). Europe.
• Melampyrum pratense (Common Cow-wheat). Europe.
• Melampyrum roseum. Asia.
• Melampyrum sylvaticum (Small Cow-wheat). Europe.