What does broomrape mean?
Broomrape is the common name for any of a group of parasitic plants belonging to the genus Orobanche, within the family Orobanchaceae. Unlike ordinary flowering plants, broomrapes contain no chlorophyll: they have no true leaves and cannot photosynthesise, so they survive by attaching specialised root-like organs to the roots of host plants — including crops such as tomatoes, sunflowers, and legumes — and drawing water and nutrients directly from them. Their stems, typically brownish, yellowish, or purplish, bear tubular flowers and emerge from the soil near the base of the host. The word is encountered mainly in botany, horticulture, and agriculture, where certain species, such as branched broomrape, are regarded as destructive weeds that are difficult to eradicate because their seeds remain viable in the soil for many years. Despite its unflattering habits, broomrape is botanically intriguing as a striking example of complete parasitism in the plant kingdom.
nounA leafless parasitic plant of the genus Orobanche, which attaches itself to the roots of other plants and lacks chlorophyll.
- Any parasitic herbaceous plant of the genus Orobanche (family Orobanchaceae), lacking chlorophyll and attaching to the roots of various host plants.
"The farmer ploughed in the field after discovering a dense infestation of broomrape on his sunflower crop."
"Common broomrape appeared among the clover, its pale yellowish stems rising straight from the soil without a single green leaf."
"Because broomrape seeds persist in the soil for years, rotation with non-host crops is the most practical means of control."
Used when referring to multiple plants of the genus or to different species collectively; often treated as an uncountable mass noun in agricultural contexts describing infestations.
"Several broomrapes were found clustered around the roots of a single tomato plant."
Broomrape has no leaves, no chlorophyll, and no interest in sunlight — it lives entirely by stealing food from its neighbours' roots, and some species can devastate entire sunflower harvests.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of broomrape
The name broomrape combines 'broom', the shrub that serves as a host for some species, with 'rape', an old English word for a type of turnip derived from Latin rapum, meaning turnip — reflecting early beliefs about the plant's growth on roots. The term has been used in English since at least the early modern period. The genus name Orobanche comes from Greek orobos (a kind of vetch) and anchein ('to strangle'), alluding to its smothering habit on legumes.
How broomrape is actually used
Broomrape is chiefly used in botanical, agricultural, and gardening contexts rather than everyday conversation. The name is sometimes written as two words ('broom rape') in older texts. It carries mildly negative connotations in farming circles because several species are serious agricultural pests.
Easily confused with broomrape
Broom is a flowering shrub of the pea family, whereas broomrape is an unrelated parasitic plant whose name merely references one host plant.