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Witchweed

Striga gesnerioides (Willd.) Vatke

Photo by C.Sydes
Published on Project Noah
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-23.0388, 27.7281

Field Notes

Description:

Sparsely branching stems and scale-like leaves purple brown about 20cm high, flowers lilac. No green leaves as this is a root parasite

Habitat:

Tree/bush savanna

Notes:

this pretty parasitic plant is probably parasitising various legumes in the herbaceous vegetation. When in the open such as along the roadside it is very obvious but within the well grown herbaceous vegetation (good rains recently have produce lush growth) it is not so easy to notice (photo 4)

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (3)
acapdreyer
In Namibia, these plants start of as greenish/white and then turn green (sometimes with some red). After the rainy season they die back and turn almost completely black (like your herbarium specimens).
C.Sydes
Thanks for the references, do these plants just start out green and change permenantly or do they resurrect after good rain. I've seen the herbarium specimens - jet black throughout.
acapdreyer
I agree that this is Striga gesnerioides. Initially the plant does have green leaves and stems. It dries to black (like many other plants in this family). See http://www.kyffhauser.co.za/Plants1/Striga_gesnerioides/Index.htm and http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=152290 for images of this plant with green leaves and stems.

Spotted for Missions

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Flowering plants of Botswana

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Photographed
PublishedFebruary 20, 2013

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