{"id":14936,"date":"2022-03-11T10:19:55","date_gmt":"2022-03-11T09:19:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/?p=108532"},"modified":"2022-03-11T11:42:20","modified_gmt":"2022-03-11T10:42:20","slug":"guide-to-the-uks-parasitic-meadow-plants","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/rss_feed\/guide-to-the-uks-parasitic-meadow-plants\/","title":{"rendered":"Guide to the UK\u2019s parasitic meadow plants"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Amanda Tuke\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 11 March 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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Parasitic plants make up around 1% of all plant species. Many, like these meadow plants, are partial- or hemi-parasites; this means they still photosynthesise to make sugar, but tap into the roots of their host to take water and nutrients. Essentially, they are piggy-backing on the investment their hosts have made in growing an extensive root system. <\/span>The hemi-parasites can grow without a host but, in low-fertility soils where nutrients are harder to find, they will grow more vigorously with one. <\/span><\/p>\n

Look out for the following parasitical plants on your spring wanders.<\/span><\/p>\n

A field guide to parasitic plants in UK grassland<\/h2>\n

Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor)<\/em><\/h3>\n
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Rhinanthus Minor. Yellow Rattle. Cockscomb\/Credit: Getty<\/p>\n
Flowers from May to August in grasslands throughout the UK and has distinctive seed pouches that rattle when dry.<\/p>\n
Red bartsia (Odontites vernus<\/em>)<\/h3>\n
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Common eyebright (Euphrasia nemorosa<\/em>)<\/h3>\n $\""A\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>

Marsh lousewort (Pedicularis palustris<\/em>)<\/h3>\n
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Common cow-wheat (Melampyrum pratense<\/em>)<\/h3>\n
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A field guide to parasitic plants in UK grassland<\/h2>\n

Red bartsia (Odontites vernus<\/em>)<\/h3>\n
$\""Red\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>

Yellow bartsia (Parentucellia viscosa<\/em>)<\/h3>\n
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