Orobanche aegyptiaca Pers.

Herbs annual, 15-50 cm tall, glandular pubescent. Stems branched above middle. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, 8-10 X 2-4 mm, along with bracts, bractlets, calyx, and corolla densely glandular pubescent abaxially. Inflorescences spicate, 8-15 cm; bract ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, 6-10 X 3-4 mm; bractlets linear, 6-10 mm. Flowers subsessile or short pedicelled. Calyx campanulate, 1-1.4 cm, 4-or 5-lobed to middle; lobes linear-lanceolate, 4-7 mm. Corolla blue-purple, 2-3.5 cm, suberect; tube ca. 2 cm; upper lip 2-lobed; lower lip longer than upper; lobes entire, white villous at margin. Pistil 2.2-2.6 cm; ovary ellipsoid. Style 1.8-2 cm, glandular pubescent; stigma 2-lobed, lobes semirounded. Capsule oblong, 0.8-1.2 cm X ca. 6 mm. Seeds long ovoid, 0.4-0.6 X ca. 0.2 mm. Fl. Apr-Jun, fr. Jun-Aug. 2n = 24.

It grows on various crop plants like potatoes, maize, peas, beans and cucumbers. Also in watermelon. In western China it grows in fields between 100-1,400 m above sea level.

The flower stalk is removed and dried. It is reduced to flour and mixed with barley flour. The plant is also eaten raw or boiled.