Aphyllon uniflorum (L.) Torr. & A. Gray

One Flower Cancer Root; One Flower Broom Rape; Naked Broom Rape

Herb

Annual

Vascular

One Flower Cancer Root is a native herbaceous annual or rarely perennial species in the Broomrape family (Orobanchaceae). It can be found throughout Alabama. One Flower Cancer Root occurs in rich hardwood forests, in mixed mesic woodlands, and occasionally on roadside or in fields. It is a holoparasite (lacking chlorophyll) that is parasitic on the roots of a variety of other species. The short stems are subterranean, erect, and with reduced overlapping, brown scale-like leaves. Flowers are solitary and terminal on long scapes. The scape is yellowish-white and glandular pubescent. The scapes lack bracts. The calyx is 5 toothed and the corolla is 2-lipped, tubular, and often curved. Bothe are glandular pubescent. The corolla varies from yellowish-white in color to blueish. The fruit is a capsule with many small seed. One Flower Cancer Root is listed as an S2 species in Alabama (typically 6 to 20 occurrences, few remaining individuals, or factors demonstrably making it very vulnerable in the state), and globally as a G5 species (demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery).—A. Diamond

Ours is the typical variety. Var. occidentale is western and out of our range.

Native FACU (NWPL) S2 (State Rank) G5 (Global Rank)

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