Orobanchaceae Vent.

Annual, biennial or perennial herbs or shrubs, sometimes climbers (not in Australia); hemiparasitic (i.e. partial parasites with chlorophyll) to holoparasitic (i.e. full parasites lacking chlorophyll), with a single large or many small haustoria that connect to the roots of host plants, or rarely non-parasitic (Lindenbergia, Rehmannia, Triaenophora, not in Australia); usually producing orobanchin and iridoid compounds, turning plant black after drying; hairs various, usually simple, sometimes glandular, when glandular usually lacking vertical partitions. Leaves alternate or opposite, petiolate or sessile, usually well-developed or sometimes reduced to scales, simple, lobed or pinnate, margin entire or toothed; stipules absent. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, usually racemose or sometimes reduced to a solitary flower. Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic or sometimes almost actinomorphic (Buchnera). Sepals 2–5, connate. Petals usually 5, connate into a salverform or campanulate, hooded or 2-lipped corolla; the abaxial lobes of the corolla are outside the others in bud. Stamens 4, didynamous; filaments free from each other but adnate to petals, alternating with corolla lobes; anthers dorsifixed, tetrasporangiate, dithecal or less frequently monothecal (Buchnera, Cordylanthus), sometimes basally awned, dehiscing by 2 longitudinal slits or by a single apical pore (some Euphrasia), sometimes with hairs present; 1 staminode sometimes present. Gynoecium of 2 (–3–5) connate carpels. Nectar disc usually present around the base of ovary. Ovary superior, placentation axile to parietal, the placentas often divided (when placentation parietal) or the placentas undivided (when placentation axile), locules as many as carpels or 1; style 1, apical, simple; stigma capitate or bilobed, sometimes proximally with stalked glands. Ovules numerous. Fruit a capsule, loculicidal or septicidal. Seeds numerous, minute, testa often ornamented; endosperm present.