Dr. Reuven Jacobsohn, Agricultural Research Organization, Bugwood.org
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One can turn a lot of heads by speaking publicly of the plants in the family Orobanchaceae. This interesting and often beautiful parasitic plant family is collectively referred to as the broomrape family. Species with common names like “naked broomrape” and “spiked broomrape” can really make a casual plant conversation turn sour in no time.
Despite how heinous the name sounds, its origin is a bit more innocent. I have really grown to appreciate etymology. Learning the hidden meaning behind the words we utilize for taxonomy can be a lot of fun. It can also teach you a little bit more about the species itself.
In this context, rape stems from the Latin word “rapum,” which roughly translates to “tuber” or “turnip.” Broom is an English word that, in this context, refers to a shrubby plant related to vetch, which is often parasitized by broomrapes. So, the literal meaning of broomrape is something akin to “broom tuber.” In other words, they are plants growing on the roots of vetch. So, yea, the more you know…
Further Reading: [1]
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