Cancer-Root. Naked Broom-Rape
Aphyllon Fasciculatum, Gray. Broom-rape Family
Leafless parasitic plants. Stems.—Scaly; thickened and knotty below, and bearing on their summits few or many clustered, one-flowered peduncles of about the same length. Flowers.—Yellowish; sometimes purplish or reddish outside. Calyx.—Slenderly five-toothed. Corolla.—Tubular; over an inch long, with five spreading lobes; somewhat bilabiate. Stamens.—Four; in pairs; included. Ovary.—One-celled. Style slender. Stigma two-lobed. Hab.—Throughout California, eastward to Lake Superior.
There are about half a dozen species of cancer-root known upon our Coast, all strange-looking, leafless plants, of very doubtful moral character—for I fear it must be confessed they are thieves. Stealthily sending their roots down and imbedding them in the roots of their victims, they draw from them the nourishment needed for their sustenance. But they have been overtaken by the proper retributive punishment—for having no longer any need of organs for the elaboration of nourishment, they are denied green leaves, the most beautiful adornment of many plants; and even the flowers of some of them seem to us to have a sickly, unwholesome hue. However, it must be acknowledged that these plants are quite interesting, despite their evil ways.
CANCER-ROOT—Aphyllon fasciculatum.
A. fasciculatum usually blooms in early summer, on dry, rocky hills, and is parasitic upon the roots of sagebrush, wild buckwheat, etc.