Orobanche caryophyllacea

Annual to biennial plant of the Orobanchaceae family, present in central and southern Europe, from France to western Asia. A holoparasitic parasite completely devoid of chlorophyll, it develops exclusively at the expense of the roots of host plants mainly belonging to the genus Galium, notably Galium verum and Galium mollugo, on dry calcareous grasslands, rocky slopes, and sunny edges.

It raises solitary or grouped stems of 20 to 30 cm, entirely covered with reddish-brown scales serving as leaves, without any greenery. The flowers, tubular and bilabiate, are arranged in a dense spike; their colors range from creamy pink to pink-lilac tinged with reddish-brown, with darker veins on the lips. The bracts and sepals are distinctly fringed-ciliate, giving the inflorescence a well-visible bristly appearance. The species emits a pronounced fragrance reminiscent of carnation or clove, noticeable nearby in warm weather — hence its epithet.

In its natural habitat, its flowering extends from May to July depending on altitude and region.

Not cultivable in the garden due to its absolute dependence on its hosts, it is observed on lean calcareous grasslands, often in the company of the Galium that nourish it. Its presence indicates a little disturbed and calcicolous environment.