Conopholis americana
4979238
207722453
2008-04-23T23:02:28Z
Sapphic
3724231
Disambiguate [[Georgia]] to [[Georgia (U.S. state)]] using [[:en:Wikipedia:Tools/Navigation_popups|popups]]
{{Taxobox
| image= squawroot.jpg
| image_caption = '''American cancer-root'''
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Lamiales]]
| familia = [[Orobanchaceae]]
| tribus = [[Orobancheae]]<ref name="uniprot">{{cite web
| url = http://beta.uniprot.org/taxonomy/4179
| title = Species ''Conopholis americana'' (Squawroot) (''Orobanche americana'')
| accessdate = 2008-04-13
| author = UniProt Consortium
| authorlink = UniProt
| format = HTML
}}</ref>
| genus = ''[[Conopholis]]''
| species = '''''C. americana'''''
| binomial = ''Conopholis americana''
| binomial_authority = ([[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]) [[Karl Friedrich Wilhelm Wallroth|Wallr.]]<ref name="NRCS">{{cite web
| url = http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=COAM
| title = PLANTS Profile, ''Conopholis americana''
| accessdate = 2008-04-13
| author = Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
| authorlink = Natural Resources Conservation Service
| format = HTML
| work = The PLANTS Database
| publisher = [[United States Department of Agriculture]],
}}</ref>
| synonyms = ''Orobanche americana'' <small>L.</small><ref name="GRIN">{{cite web
| url = http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?417496
| title = Taxon: ''Conopholis americana'' (L.) Wallr.
| accessdate = 2008-04-13
| author = Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN)
| authorlink = Germplasm Resources Information Network
| date = 2004-03-31
| format = HTML
| work = Taxonomy for Plants
| publisher = [[United States Department of Agriculture|USDA]], [[Agricultural Research Service|ARS]], National Genetic Resources Program, National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland
}}</ref>
| range_map = Range of Conopholis americana-Native.svg
| range_map_width = 240px
| range_map_caption = Range of ''Conopholis americana''
}}
'''''Conopholis americana''''', '''American cancer-root''' or '''squawroot''' or '''bear corn''', is a [[perennial]],<ref name="ilpin">{{cite web
| url = http://www.fs.fed.us/ne/delaware/ilpin/839.co
| title = ILPIN INFORMATION ON ''Conopholis americana''
| accessdate = 2008-04-13
| author = David Ketzner and Jeanne Karnes
| authorlink = United States Forest Service
| format = HTML
| work = ILLINOIS PLANT INFORMATION NETWORK
| publisher = United States Forest Service
}}</ref> non-[[Photosynthesis|photosynthesizing]] (or "[[Wiktionary:achlorophyllous|achlorophyllous]]") [[parasitic plant]], from the family [[Orobanchaceae]] and more recently from the genus ''[[Conopholis]]'' but also listed as ''[[Orobanche]]'', native but not endemic to [[North America]] and when blooming, resembles a pine cone or cob of corn growing from the roots of mostly oak and beech trees.<ref name="pawildflower">{{cite web
| url = http://www.pawildflower.org/01_articles/Notes_2005_Q4.pdf
| title = Beech Drops
| accessdate = 2008-04-10
| last = Grafton
| first = Emily
| volume = 8
| format = PDF
| work = PNPS Notes Quarter #4
| publisher = [http://www.pawildflower.org/ Pennsylvania Native Plant Society]
}}</ref><ref name="killerplants">{{cite web
| url = http://www.killerplants.com/plant-of-the-week/20050627.asp
| title = Plant of the Week
| accessdate = 2008-04-10
| author = C. Vandaveer
| date = 2005-06-27
| format = HTML
}}</ref>
==Description==
''C. americana'' is parasitic on the roots of woody plants, especially [[oak]]s (genus ''Quercus'') and [[beech]] (genus ''Fagus'').<ref name="ilpin"/> The only part of the plant generally seen is the cone-shaped inflorescence,<ref name="killerplants"/> which appears above ground in spring.<ref name="ct-botanical">{{cite web
| url = http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/galleries/conopholisamer.html
| title = Squawroot ''Conopholis americana''
| accessdate = 2008-04-13
| date = 2008-03-07
| format = HTML
| work = Connecticut Wildflowers
| publisher = [[Connecticut Botanical Society]]
}}</ref>
The entire structure is a yellowish color, turning to brown<ref name="ilpin"/> and achieves heights of {{convert|10|cm|in|sigfig=1|lk=on|sp=us}} to {{convert|20|cm|in|sigfig=1|sp=us}} tall.<ref name="Hilty">{{cite web
| url = http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/woodland/plants/cancer_root.htm
| title = Cancer Root ''Conopholis americana''
| accessdate = 2008-04-13
| author = John Hilty
| work = Woodland Wildflowers of Illinois
| format = HTML
| work = [http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/ Illinois Wildflowers]
}}</ref>
'''Stems and leaves''':
Stout and unbranched {{convert|1.3|cm|in|sp=us|sigfig=1}} to {{convert|2.5|cm|in|sigfig=1|sp=us}} thick stems.<ref name="WP">{{cite web
| url = http://wisplants.uwsp.edu/scripts/detail.asp?SpCode=CONAME
| title = ''Conopholis americana'' (L.) Wallr.
| accessdate = 2008-04-13
| author = University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
| authorlink = University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
| format = HTML
| publisher = Robert W. Freckmann Herbarium
}}</ref>
Since ''C. americana'' does not photosynthesize<ref name="killerplants"/> it also does not have true leaves; it has instead simple, ovate, tiny scales<ref name="ilpin"/> {{convert|1.3|cm|in|sp=us|sigfig=1}} long and brown, which appear underneath each flower.<ref name="Hilty"/>
'''Flowers''':
''C. americana'' produces spikes of yellow to cream flowers densely crowded all around the stem.<ref name="Hilty"/> Each flower is 5-parted, {{convert|8|mm|in|sp=us|lk=on|sigfig=1}} to {{convert|13|mm|in|sp=us|sigfig=1}} long, tubular with a swollen base and facing downwards.<ref name="WP"/> As the flowering spike matures and begins to wither and becomes brown throughout the summer and often persisting through the winter, by which time it has become shriveled and black. There is no noticeable floral scent.<ref name="Hilty"/>
'''Fruits and reproduction''':
Each flower is replaced by a seed capsule that is longer than it is wide and contains many small seeds. This plant spreads to new locations by reseeding itself.<ref name="Hilty"/>
'''Roots''':
The root system is parasitic on the roots of [[Oak]] trees (Quercus spp.); dependent on the host tree for its nourishment, the suckers of the parasitic roots cause the formation of large rounded knobs on the roots of the host tree.<ref name="Hilty"/>
==Distribution==
Found growing on roots in wooded ravines<ref name="ilpin"/> in every state of the [[United States]] east of the [[Mississippi River]].<ref name="NRCS"/>
'''Native''':
:'''[[Nearctic]]''':
::'''Northern America''':
:::'''Eastern Canada''': [[Nova Scotia]], [[Ontario]], [[Quebec]]
:::'''Northeastern U.S.A.''': [[Connecticut]], [[Indiana]], [[Maine]], [[Massachusetts]], [[Michigan]], [[New Hampshire]], [[New Jersey]], [[New York]], [[Ohio]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[Rhode Island]], [[Vermont]], [[West Virginia]]
:::'''North-Central U.S.A.''': [[Illinois]], [[Wisconsin]]
:::'''Southeastern U.S.A.''': [[Alabama]], [[Delaware]], [[Florida]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], [[Kentucky]], [[Maryland]], [[North Carolina]], [[South Carolina]], [[Tennessee]], [[Virginia]]<ref name="GRIN"/>
It is considered an [[exploitably vulnerable]] species in [[New York]], a [[threatened species]] in [[New Hampshire]] and a [[special concern]] in [[Rhode Island]].<ref name="NRCS"/>
==References==
[[Image:CAmericanaMar03.jpg|thumb|224px|''Conopholis americana'' in beech/oak forest in northern Florida.]]
{{reflist}}
<br clear="all"/>
==External links==
[[Image:Conopholis americana.png|thumb|224px|Illustration from [[1913]].]]
{{wikispecies-inline}}
{{commonscat-inline}}
*{{ITIS|ID=34274|taxon=Conopholis americana|year=2008 |date=13 March}}
{{Lamiales-stub}}
[[Category:Orobanchaceae]]
[[Category:Flora of the Eastern United States]]
[[Category:Wildflowers of the Great Smoky Mountains]]