Jack Dykinga / Foothills of the Temblor Range, carpeted with Coreopsis (yellow) and Purple Owl's Clover (Castilleja exserta) flowers. Carrizo Plain, California, USA. 30th March 2019.

Floris van Breugel / Paintbrush (Castilleja parviflora) flowering in withered sage bush, White Mountains, California, USA, July

Alex Hyde / Fragrant Orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea) and Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus sp.) flowering in ancient alpine hay meadow. Nordtirol, Austrian Alps. June.

Nick Upton / Traditional organic hay meadow with a profusion of wild flowers and grasses including Pyramid orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis) Common spotted orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii, Rough hawkbit (Leontodon hisp...

Wild Wonders of Europe / Benvie / Broomrape (Cistanche phelypaea) in flower, killing its host Glasswort (Salicornia sp) Huelva, Andalucia, Spain, April 2009

Nigel Cattlin / Knapweed broomrape (Orobanche elatior) flower spike in grassland. Disused chalk pit nature reserve, Berkshire, England, UK. June

Phil Savoie / Indian paintbrush (Castilleja angustifolia) flower, Beaverhead National Forest, Montana, USA. July.

Nick Garbutt / Alpine Wildflower meadow, a diversity of species including Meadow clary (Salvia pratensis), Sainfoin (Onobrychis sp) and Rattle (Rhinanthus sp). North Tyrol, Austria. June.

Adrian Davies / Knapweed broomrape (Orobanche elatior), parasite on roots of Greater knapweed (Centaurea scabiosa). Hampshire, England, UK. June.

Nigel Cattlin / Knapweed broomrape (Orobanche elatior) flowers, parasite of Knapweed (Centaurea). Kent, England, UK.

Heather Angel / Broomrape (Pedicularis longiflora) in wet meadow amongst Horsetail (Equisetum sp). Maroon marks on flowers act as Nectar guides. Road from Barkham to Ruo Er Gai, Sichuan Province, China. July.

Heather Angel / Bumblebee scarab beetles (Pygopleurus humeralis) feeding on Phelypaea flower (Phelypaea coccinea). Flower has marks that mimic beetle elytra wings to attract pollinators. Plant parasitic on Tanacetum...

Heather Angel / Texas bluebonnets (Lupinus texensis) and Indian paintbrush (Castilleja coccinea) amongst wildflowers in ditch beside byway. Rains triggered germinaton of annual seeds. Cuero, Texas, USA. April.

Heather Angel / Lousewort (Pedicularis oxycarpa), a hemi-parasite on grass. Pollinated by bumblebees through buzz pollination, rapid vibration of flight muscles releases pollen in the flower. Near Barkham, Sichuan Pr...

Ross Hoddinott / Green-veined white butterfly (Pieris napi) resting on yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor) flower, Volehouse Moor Nature Reserve, Devon, England, UK. July.

Nick Upton / Alpine eyebright (Euphrasia alpina) flowering on montane pastureland among limestone rocks, Covadonga, Picos de Europa, Asturias, Spain, August.

Colin Varndell / Red bartsia (Odontites verna) in flower. Hod Hill, Dorset, UK, July.

Felis Images / Tube lousewort (Pedicularis siphonantha) flowers by a waterfall, Sikkim, India.

Felis Images / Royle's lousewort (Pedicularis roylei) flowers, Sikkim, India.

Felis Images / Royle's lousewort (Pedicularis roylei) flowers, Sikkim, India.

Felis Images / Royle's lousewort (Pedicularis roylei) flowers, Sikkim, India.

Felis Images / Royle's lousewort (Pedicularis roylei) flowers, Sikkim, India.

Mike Read / Wildflowers growing in puszta grassland with Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor) near Tiszaalpar, Kiskunsag National Park, Hungary, June 2017

Mike Read / Wildflowers growing in puszta grassland with Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor) near Tiszaalpar, Kiskunsag National Park, Hungary, June 2017

Adrian Davies / Toothwort (Lathraea squamaria), parasitic on hazel (Corylus avellana) tree roots, ancient woodland indicator species. Surrey, England, UK. April.

Adrian Davies / Toothwort (Lathraea squamaria), parasitic on hazel (Corylus avellana) tree roots, ancient woodland indicator species. Surrey, England, UK. April, 2018.

Adrian Davies / Toothwort (Lathraea squamaria), parasitic on hazel (Corylus avellana) tree roots, ancient woodland indicator species. Surrey, England, UK. April.

Rod Williams / Yellow rattle flowers (Rhinanthus minor) and Wild Marjoram (Origanum vulgare) Hutchinson's Bank, New Addington, London, England, UK. August.

Stephen Dalton / Brimstone butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni) on Yellow rattle flower (Rhinanthus minor) Somerset, England, UK, May.

Fabrice Cahez / Field cow-wheat (Melampyrum arvense) in flower, Vosges, France, May.

Fabrice Cahez / Field cow-wheat (Melampyrum arvense) in flower, Vosges, France, May.

Jouan Rius / Indian paintbrush in flower (Castilleja coccinea), Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA, April.

Jussi Murtosaari / Lapland lousewort (Pedicularis lapponica) in flower, Finland, July.

Sue Daly / Ivy broomrape (Orobanche hederae), Alderney, British Channel Islands, May.

Sue Daly / Eyebright (Euphrasia sp) Jersey, British Channel Islands, August.

Sue Daly / Lousewort (Pedicularis sylvatica) Sark, British Channel Islands, April.

Sue Daly / Lousewort (Pedicularis sylvatica) in graveyard, Sark, British Channel Islands, April.

Sue Daly / Lousewort (Pedicularis sylvatica) Sark, British Channel Islands, April.

Stephen Dalton / Yellow rattle in flower (Rhinanthus minor) Sussex, England, UK, July.

Stephen Dalton / Larger skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus) feeding on Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor) Rookery Wood, Sussex, England, UK. June.

Alex Hyde / Slender broomrape (Orobanche gracilis) Nordtirol, Austrian Alps, July.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Purple toothwort (Lathraea clandestina) Liendo, Cantabria, Spain, April 2016.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Purple toothwort (Lathraea clandestina) Liendo, Cantabria, Spain, April 2016.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Thistle broomrape (Orobanche reticulata) a species parasitic upon various thistles and related plants. Preci, Umbria, Italy, June

Paul Harcourt Davies / Branched broomrape (Orobanche ramosa) parasitic plant, Preci, Umbria, Italy. June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Thyme broomrape (Orobanche alba) parasitising common thyme ( Thymus vulgaris) near Santa Stefano in Sassania, Abruzzo, Italy, June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Thyme broomrape (Orobanche alba) parasitising common thyme ( Thymus vulgaris) near Santa Stefano in Sassania, Abruzzo, Italy, June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Slender broomrape (Orobanche gracilis) a plant parasitic upon legumes and characterised by shiny dark red within the flower. Precis. Umbria. Italy, June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Field cow-wheat (Melampyrum arvense) Campo Imperatore, Abruzzo, Italy June 2016

Paul Harcourt Davies / Field cow-wheat (Melampyrum arvense) Campo Imperatore, Abruzzo, Italy June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Thyme broomrape (Orobanche alba) parasitising common thyme ( Thymus vulgaris) near Santa Stefano in Sassania, Abruzzo, Italy, June.

Fabrice Cahez / Flower meadow with Meadow clary (Salvia pratensis), Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor), Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) and Ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), Vosges, France. May.

Fabrice Cahez / Meadow with flowers of Meadow clary (Salvia pratensis), Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor), Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) and Ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), Vosges, France. May.

Fabrice Cahez / Meadow with flowers of Meadow clary (Salvia pratensis), Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor), Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) and Ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), Vosges, France. May.

Martin Gabriel / Yellow broomrape (Cistanche phelypaea), a plant parasiting on Atriplex, flowering, Sultanate of Oman, January.

Kim Taylor / Verticillate lousewort (Pedicularis verticillata). Italy, July.

MYN / Dirk Funhoff / Greater yellow rattle (Rhinanthus alectorolophus) flower, Büchelberg, Pfalz, Germany. May. Meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Dirk Funhoff / Greater yellow rattle (Rhinanthus alectorolophus) flower, Büchelberg, Pfalz, Germany. May. Meetyourneighbours.net project

Andy Sands / Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor) flower head, Buckinghamshire, England, UK, June - Focus Stacked Image

Ross Hoddinott / Marbled White butterfly (Melanargia galathea) resting on Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor) flower, Volehouse Moor Nature Reserve, Devon, England, UK. July.

Floris van Breugel / Cooper's broomrape (Orobanche cooperi) emerges from the sand. The broomrape is a parasite and has no leaves. Death Valley, California, USA. March.

Chris Mattison / Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor) New Grove Meadows, Monmouthshire, Wales.

Alex Hyde / (Castilleja irasuensis) flowering next to the crater rim of Volcano Irazu, 3400m. Costa Rica

Stephen Dalton / Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor) in flower, Sussex, UK

Stephen Dalton / Grass meadow in flower with White clover (Trifolium repens) Red clover (Trifolium pratense) and Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor) Sussex, UK

Stephen Dalton / Meadow flowers with Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus minor) Ribwort Plantain, Red Clover and Buttercup in flower, Holly Farm, Sussex, UK

Mike Read / Alpine paintbrush (Castelleja rhexifolia) among grasses at roadside, The Grand Loop, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming USA June

Mike Read / Sulphur paintbrush (Castilleja sulphurea) in alpine meadow near Mount Washburn, The Grand Loop Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA June

Alex Hyde / Yarrow Broomrape (Orobanche purpurea) Nordtirol, Austrian Alps. June.

Alex Hyde / Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus sp.) growing in a traditional hay meadow. Yellow Rattle parasitises the roots of grass species, reducing their vigour and allowing other plant species to flourish. Nordtirol,...

Alex Hyde / Burnt / Burnt-tip Orchid (Orchis ustulata), Fragrant Orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea) and Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus sp.) flowering in ancient alpine meadow. Nordtirol, Austrian Alps. June.

Adrian Davies / Sea holly broomrape (Orobanche minor var. minor) parasitic on Sea holly (Eryngiums maritimum) Sandwich Bay, Kent, England, UK, June.

Mike Read / Lousewort (Pedicularis sylvatica) flower, Grasspoint, Isle of Mull, Argyll and Bute. Scotland, UK, May.

Dr. Axel Gebauer / Common toothwort, (Lathraea squamaria) flower, Sachsische Schweiz / Saxon Switzerland National Park, Germany, April.

Gerrit Vyn / Indian paintbrush (Castilleja) in flower in sagebrush-steppe. Sublette County, Wyoming, USA. June.

Sven Zacek / Carpet of Wood cow-wheat (Melampyrum nemorosum) in a spruce grove, Valgamaa, Estonia, July.

Bernard Castelein / Small lousewort (Pedicularis sylvatica) Klein Schietveld, Brasschaat, Belgium, May.

Dong Lei / Lousewort (Pedicularis sp) flowers, Serxu, Shiqu county, Sichuan Province, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China, August.

Alex Hyde / Toothwort / Corpse flower (Lathraea squamaria) flowering under an ancient hazel tree which it parasitises. Peak District National Park, Derbyshire, UK. April.

Alex Hyde / Toothwort / Corpse flower (Lathraea squamaria) flowering under an ancient Hazel tree which it parasitises. Peak District National Park, Derbyshire, UK. April.

Adrian Davies / Hemp broomrape (Orobanche ramosa) Provence, France, March.

Dong Lei / Broomrape (Pedicularis sp) flowers, Yunnan, China, July.

Pal Hermansen / Seed of Woolly Lousewort (Pedicularis dasyantha) on white background.

Martin Gabriel / Yellow Broomrape (Orobanche lutea) flower, Krk Island, Croatia, June.

Nick Upton / Red Bartsia (Odontites verna) flowering on a heathland slope. Corfe Common, Dorset, UK, July.

Nick Upton / Red Bartsia (Odontites verna) flowering on a heathland slope. Corfe Common, Dorset, UK, July.

Jean E. Roche / Broomrape (Orobanche picridis), Sambuc, Arles, Camargue, France, May.

David Kjaer / Greater broomrape (Orobanche rapum-genistae) Wiltshire, UK, June.

Stephen Dalton / Meadow with Common spotted orchids (Dactyloriza fuchsii) and Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus minor) Sussex, England, UK. May.

Stephen Dalton / Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor) in flower, Sussex, England, UK. June.

Kirkendall-Spring / Paintbrush flowers (Castilleja) in bloom, Canyon Creek Meadows below Three Finger Jack, Mount Jefferson Wilderness. Oregon.

Nick Upton / Common toothwort (Lathraea squamaria), a parasite of Hazel (Corylus), flowering in woodland, Bath and Northeast Somerset, UK, April.

Nick Upton / Common toothwort (Lathraea squamaria), a parasite of Hazel (Corylus), flowering in woodland, Bath and Northeast Somerset, UK, April.

Nick Upton / Low wide angle view of Lousewort (Pedicularis sylvatica) flowering on boggy moorland ground, partially parasitic on the roots of nearby plants, Bodmin moor, Cornwall, UK, May.

Nick Upton / Lousewort (Pedicularis sylvatica) flowering on boggy moorland ground, partially parasitic on the roots of nearby plants, Bodmin moor, Cornwall, UK, May.

Jussi Murtosaari / Toothwort (Lathraea squamaria) a parasitic plant, Jomala, Ahvenanmaa / Aland Islands Archipelago, Finland. May