Rhinanthus minor - Yellow rattle

Family: Orobanchaceae (Broom-rape family) (Previously in Scrophulariaceae) [E-flora]

Subtaxa Present in B.C.

"Rhinanthus minor is a ANNUAL growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in). It is hardy to zone (UK) 6. It is in flower from May to August, and the seeds ripen from Jul to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees, self.The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil." [PFAF]

"General: Annual herb; stems erect, 10-80 cm tall, simple or few-branched, somewhat 4-angled, nearly smooth to thinly soft-hairy at the nodes and in lines down opposite 2 of the 4 sides." [IFBC-E-flora]

"Notes: A murky species complex but it appears that in BC only 1 entity is present." [IFBC-E-flora]

"Habitat / Range Mesic to moist meadows, fields, pastures, roadsides and clearings in the lowland, steppe and montane zones; frequent in BC south of 56ºN, rare northward and on the Queen Charlotte Islands; circumboreal, N to AK, YT and NT, E to Labr. and NF and S to NH, VT, ND, NM, AZ and OR; Greenland, Eurasia." [IFBC-E-flora]

Status: Native [E-flora]

Caution

"This plant might be poisonous to livestock[200]." [PFAF]

Other Uses

Medicinal Uses

Cultivation
"A semi-parasitic plant of grass, it can be grown in a meadow[200]." [PFAF]

Propagation
"Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest either sowing the seed in situ in a lawn or meadow or, if seed is in short supply, sowing it in a pot of turf in a cold frame. It is probably best to sow as soon as the seed is ripe but a spring sowing can also be tried." [PFAF]

References

Rhinanthus Sp.

Local Species;

  1. Rhinanthus minor - yellow rattle

References