Melampyrum nemorosum

Melampyrum nemorosum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Orobanchaceae
Genus:	Melampyrum
Species:	M. nemorosum
Binomial name
Melampyrum nemorosum L.

Wood cow-wheat[1] (Melampyrum nemorosum) is an herbaceous flowering plant in the family Orobanchaceae. It is native to Europe. In Sweden it is called natt och dag (Night and Day).[2] In Russia it is called Ivan-da-Marya (Ivan and Maria), a Christianisation of the traditional Slavic Kupalo-da-Mavka (Kupalo-and-Mavka).

This is an annual plant. The new leaves are blue, turning green as they mature. They are usually toothed at the bases.

This plant is a host to the rust fungus Coleosporium melampyri [3] und Cronartium flaccidum with the associated uredium and telium.[4]

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  Flower
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  Flowers in yellow and red contrast the purple top leaves

References

1. https://www.biolib.cz/en/taxon/id40893/
2. Melampyrum nemorosum. Invasive Species Compendium. CABI.
3. Peter Zwetko: Die Rostpilze Österreichs. Supplement und Wirt-Parasit-Verzeichnis zur 2. Auflage des Catalogus Florae Austriae, III. Teil, Heft 1, Uredinales. (PDF; 1,8 MB).
4. Kaitera, J. and H. Nuorteva. (2003). Cronartium flaccidum produces uredinia and telia on Melampyrum nemorosum and on Finnish Vincetoxicum hirundinaria. Forest Pathology 33: 205–213. doi: 10.1046/j.1439-0329.2003.00321.x