bedstraw broomrape vs coast amaranth

Orobanche caryophyllacea compared with Amaranthus pumilus

Key Differences

• bedstraw broomrape is Endangered while coast amaranth is Extinct.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	bedstraw broomrape	coast amaranth
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Lamiales (Lamiales)	Caryophyllales (Caryophyllales)
Family	Orobanchaceae	Amaranthaceae
Genus	Orobanche	Amaranthus
Species	Orobanche caryophyllacea	Amaranthus pumilus

Evolutionary Relationship

bedstraw broomrape and coast amaranth share a common ancestor at the Class level: Magnoliopsida. (Dicots)

Conservation Status

bedstraw broomrape

EN — Endangered

coast amaranth

EX — Extinct

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	bedstraw broomrape	coast amaranth
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

bedstraw broomrape

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Norway, and Sweden. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

coast amaranth

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Found in Japan.

bedstraw broomrape

The Bedstraw broomrape (Orobanche caryophyllacea) is a species in the genus Orobanche. It is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

coast amaranth

Coast amaranth (Amaranthus pumilus) is an annual herb in the family Amaranthaceae, native to the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the eastern United States, where it once grew on coastal foredunes, beach strand, and shell-hash substrates above the high tide line from New York south to South Carolina. It is a low-growing, fleshy plant with small, rounded leaves and inconspicuous green flowers typical of the genus. Coast amaranth is assessed as Extinct in the Wild by the IUCN, as it has not been reliably documented from wild populations since the mid-20th century; the last confirmed collections date to the 1960s. The species' decline and likely extinction resulted from intense human pressure on Atlantic coastal habitats through shoreline development, beach stabilisation, vehicular traffic on beaches, and increased storm frequency disrupting pioneer dune vegetation. It is federally listed as Threatened in the United States, though this listing predates confirmed extinction in the wild. A small number of ex-situ accessions may exist in botanical garden collections. Genetic material and seed banking efforts represent the only remaining conservation options for this critically reduced species.