Aj. Pujadas-salva et L. Velasco, Comparative studies on Orobanche cernua L. and O-cumana Wallr. (Orobanchaceae) in the Iberian Peninsula, BOTAN J LIN, 134(4), 2000, pp. 513-527
The systematic treatment of Orobanche cumana Wallr. and O. cernua L. is con
troversial. Whereas some authors consider O. cumana as an infraspecific tax
on of O. cernua, others Ir eat it a?: a separate species. Furthermore, the
nomenclature of the sunflower broomrape is unclear, and Loth names are foun
d without qualification in the literature. The objective of the present stu
dy has been to evaluate the distribution, morphology, and ecology of O. cer
nua and O. cumana in the Iberian Peninsula, as well as their seed oil fatty
acid profile, which is a trait of gear chemotaxonomic value. O. cernua was
found parasitizing wild Compositae, mainly Artemisia spp., whereas O. cuma
na was exclusively found on cultivated sunflower. Both species clearly diff
er in morphological traits, especially plant height and build, length and s
tructure of the inflorescence, corolla length and colour. Both species are
characterized by contrasting seed oil fatty acid profits, with high oleic a
cid concentration in O. cernua and high linoleic acid concentration in O. c
umana. The evaluation of both taxa in the Iberian Peninsula gives additiona
l support to those authors that treat them as separate species. (C) 2000 Th
e Linnean Society of London.