bedstraw broomrape vs common broomrape

Orobanche caryophyllacea compared with Orobanche minor

Key Differences

• bedstraw broomrape is Endangered while common broomrape is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	bedstraw broomrape	common broomrape
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order same	Lamiales (Lamiales)	Lamiales (Lamiales)
Family same	Orobanchaceae	Orobanchaceae
Genus same	Orobanche	Orobanche
Species	Orobanche caryophyllacea	Orobanche minor

Evolutionary Relationship

bedstraw broomrape and common broomrape share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Orobanche.

Conservation Status

bedstraw broomrape

EN — Endangered

common broomrape

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	bedstraw broomrape	common broomrape
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.

common broomrape

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 4 distinct biome types within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa), Asia (Japan), Europe (12 countries), North America (United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Chile, Colombia). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

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.

common broomrape

The common broomrape (<em>Orobanche minor</em>) is a parasitic flowering plant with an exceptionally wide global distribution, occurring across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America, and typically inhabiting tropical and subtropical forests and grasslands. This species is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List, indicating that its populations may be declining in some parts of its range. As a member of the family Orobanchaceae, the common broomrape is a root parasite that attaches to the roots of host plants, most commonly members of the legume and carrot families, from which it draws all of its nutrients. It lacks chlorophyll and therefore cannot photosynthesize, making it entirely dependent on its host for survival. The species often produces spikes of yellowish or purplish tubular flowers above the soil surface during spring and summer across its diverse geographic range. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden