Wildflowers of the United States

Cow Wheat, Narrowleaf Cow-Wheat, Appalachian Cow-Wheat - Melampyrum lineare

Family: Orobanchaceae - Broom-rape family

Genus Common Name: Cow-Wheat

Native Status: Native

Dicot Annual Herb Leaves:Opposite Leaves:Simple Leaves:Entire

Melampyrum lineare - Cow Wheat, Narrowleaf Cow-Wheat, Appalachian Cow-Wheat.
Melampyrum is a genus of 20 to 35 species found in North America, Asia, and eastern Europe. They are hemiparasitic herbs, getting part of their nutrition from the roots of trees and shrubs. It was likely this hemiparasitic characteristic that resulted in the move of Melampyrum from the Scrophulariaceae family into Orobanchaceae in the first decade of the 21st century.

Melampyrum lineare is the only Cow Wheat species found in the United States. It is a species primarily of the northern part of the country as well as southern Canada. It is found in all the northeastern states, and in the northern tier of states west to Washington except for North Dakota. Its ranges also extends southward primarily in the Appalachian Mountains as far south as Georgia and South Carolina.

There are 3 or 4 recognized varieties of Melampyrum lineare, differentiated primarily by teeth on the bracteal leaves, how much the plant branches, the width of the leaves, and the internodal stem length.

Found in:
CT, DC, DE, GA, ID, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MT, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, GS

Distribution of Melampyrum lineare in the United States and Canada:

Map courtesy of The Biota of North America Program.
Map color key
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Site: Indian Boundary Recreation Area, Monroe County, TN Date: 2016-May-12	Photographer: Gerald C Williamson Nikon D7000
The flower of Melampyrum lineare are small - about 1/2 inch long, and has a relatively long white corolla tube with a yellow, raised, pubescent palate on the lower lip, which is 3-lobed. The upper lip is 2-lobed and somewhat shorter than the lower lip.

Site: Appalachian Trail near Woody Gap, Union County, GA Date: 2016-May-19	Photographer: Gerald C Williamson Nikon D7000
The flowers grow solitary in the axils of leaf-like bracts.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Site: Appalachian Trail near Woody Gap, Union County, GA Date: 2016-May-19	Photographer: Gerald C Williamson Nikon D7000
Appalachian Trail near Woody Gap, Union County, GA) Cow Wheat is a short plant, growing from 6 to 16 inches tall. It may have a simple stem or up to 4 branches in var. latifolium, but usually having 10 or more branches in var. americanum, var. lineare, and var. pectinatum. This is Melampyrum lineare var. latifolium - Appalachian Cow-Wheat.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Site: Indian Boundary Recreation Area, Monroe County, TN Date: 2016-May-12	Photographer: Gerald C. Williamson Nikon D7000 Tamron SP 90MM f/2.8 AF Macro
The leaves of Cow Wheat are opposite, with entire (untoothed) margins. The flowers grow (usually solitary) in the axils of leaf-like bracts. Since the bracts of this plant are also entire and the leaves are relatively wide, this is Melampyrum lineare var. latifolium - Appalachian Cow-Wheat.
Click on the photo for a larger image

References used for identification and information:

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Melampyrum lineare initially published on USWildflowers.com 2018-09-15; Updated 2018-09-15

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All content except USDA Plants Database map Copyright Gerald C. Williamson 2024
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Code Update 20230302