Melampyrum pratense: Country Or Region Of Origin
Europe to Central Siberia
Plant Profile: Melampyrum pratense
Names
Cow Wheat
Phonetic Spelling:mel-am-PY-rum pray-TEN-see
Genus:Melampyrum
Species:pratense
Family:Orobanchaceae
This plant is a yearly hemiparasite found in forests, scrublands, heathlands, and elevated moorlands, thriving in well-drained, nutrient-deficient acidic soils. It is less commonly seen in scrub areas, hedgerows, and deciduous forests situated on chalk and limestone. Ants play a key role in dispersing its large seeds.
Melampyrum pratense Feature Summary
Melampyrum pratense Image Gallery
Tags
Melampyrum pratense Feature Summary
Attributes
Europe to Central Siberia
Woods, bogs, rocky slopes; dry sandy sites
Annual
Fruit
Elliptic, flat, capsule roughly twice as long as calyx, usually with 4 seeds.
Capsule
Flowers
Single, long-tubed pale yellow flowers in the axils of the upper leaves in pairs, all turning one way; green leafy bracts
Gold/Yellow
Summer
Tubular
Leaves
Stalkless narrow, tapering, smooth leaves in distant pairs, each pair at right angles to those next to it
Simple
Opposite
Lanceolate
Whole Plant Traits
Wildflower
Cultural Conditions
Acid (<6.0)
Stem
Landscape
Rock Garden
Melampyrum pratense Image Gallery
Melampyrum pratense Attributes
Melampyrum pratense: Distribution
Woods, bogs, rocky slopes; dry sandy sites
Melampyrum pratense: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Melampyrum pratense Fruit
Melampyrum pratense: Fruit Description
Elliptic, flat, capsule roughly twice as long as calyx, usually with 4 seeds.
Melampyrum pratense: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Melampyrum pratense Flowers
Melampyrum pratense: Flower Description
Single, long-tubed pale yellow flowers in the axils of the upper leaves in pairs, all turning one way; green leafy bracts
Melampyrum pratense: Flower Color
Gold/Yellow
Melampyrum pratense: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Melampyrum pratense: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Melampyrum pratense Leaves
Melampyrum pratense: Leaf Description
Stalkless narrow, tapering, smooth leaves in distant pairs, each pair at right angles to those next to it
Melampyrum pratense: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Melampyrum pratense: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Melampyrum pratense: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Melampyrum pratense: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Melampyrum pratense Whole Plant Traits
Melampyrum pratense: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Melampyrum pratense Cultural Conditions
Melampyrum pratense: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Melampyrum pratense Stem
Melampyrum pratense: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Melampyrum pratense Landscape
Melampyrum pratense: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
