Rhinanthus major

Linnaeus

Amoen. Acad. 3: 53. 1756.

Common names: European yellow rattle
Introduced
Synonyms: Rhinanthus alectorolophus (Scopoli) Pollich
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 17. Treatment on page 505. Mentioned on page 504.

Stems without black streaks, simple or branched, 15–40(–80) cm. Leaves: blade lanceolate to ovate, (3.5–)5–10 mm wide, margins crenate-serrate. Bracts rhombic-triangular, puberulent, teeth not bristle-tipped, basal teeth scarcely longer than others. Calyces round-ovate in fruit, 15–20 mm, initially villous, hairs white, partly glabrescent in fruit. Corollas 15–20 mm; tube slightly curved; throat closed; teeth of galea 1.5–2.5 mm. Capsules 8–12 mm. Seeds 2–6, 4–5 mm.


Phenology: Flowering summer.
Habitat: Grasslands, clearings.
Elevation: 0–100 m.

Distribution

Introduced; Mass., N.Y., Europe, Asia.

Discussion

The name Rhinanthus alectorolophus has been applied to R. major by some authors (for example, A. Haines 2011) on the grounds that R. major is an ambiguous name (R. Soó and D. A. Webb 1972). Variants with wingless seeds are found throughout the range of R. major.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.