The Onion Weed

Onion Weed - Asphodelus fistulosus 

The onion weed is a spring-flowering plant of the lily family. It is found in Mediterranean countries but has been introduced in many areas with a Mediterranean climate particularly in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Mexico. It has also been introduced in Australia and New Zealand.

In the Maltese islands it is a rare species that can be found only in a few localities. I have seen in growing mostly on the walls of the bastions at the Argotti Batonic Gardens in Floriana and at Sa Maison Garden in Pieta’.

In Maltese it is known as berwieq żgħir.

In non-Mediterranean countries it has become a pest and measures are taken to try to eliminate it. This is a common situation where plants are introduced in areas where they are not indigenous. In Malta this has occurred with many species the best known being the Cape sorrel which in Maltese is known as the ħaxixa ngliża.

The onion weed is an asphodel. It is related to the very common species known as the branched asphodel. Both plants are very similar except for a big difference in size. The branch asphodel can grow up to 150 cm while the onion weed rarely reaches a height of fifty centimetres.  

This plant is an annual or short-lived perennial. It reproduces by seed which can be dispersed by wing water, machinery or agricultural produce. The seeds can also be carried around by mud attached to animals and vehicles.

The very common and larger branch asphodel flowers in winter and early spring. It grows in most habitats but is more common in rocky steppe. In some places, especially in areas that are regularly burnt, it can become the most common flowering plant.

This article was published in the Times of Malta on 23 April 2015, 

Wild orchids

Orchids are my favourite group of plants. They are fascinating mainly because they are beautiful and interesting and although there are many species none of them is common.

Orchids have been arousing passions for a long time. In the Victorian era adventurous individuals embarked on orchid hunting trips in central and south America and Asia mainly to collect specimens for gardeners and horticulturalists in Europe and the USA. They often went back home with large numbers of rare species and long tales about their dangerous expeditions. 

Today many orchids are legally protected and it is not allowed to collect or export them. Although illegal trade in orchids still exists modern orchid hunters collect images. They are equipped with cameras, identification books and notebooks and often publish their results in specialist websites. Some restrict their hunting to a particular country or area while others travel and wide.

In Malta orchids can be found from the end of December to early June most species are in flower in March and April. 

Thirty eight species of orchids have been recorded in the Maltese islands. Over the past two decades the number of recorded species has increased partly because new species have been found by plant enthusiasts but also because what was considered as one species, the brown orchid, is now considered to be five different species. 

These species belong to a group known as the insect orchids. Male insects, especially bees and wasps, are attracted to the flowers which look like female members of the species. They land on them and attempt to mate. While their attempts to mate are unsuccessful they unknowingly end up with pollen on their back which is then transferred to another orchid of the same species which manages to trick them into landing on it. 

Some species of orchids enhance their performance by producing chemicals known as pheromones similar to pheromones used by female insects to attract males.

Finding, photographing and identifying orchids is an interesting and challenging hobby that can give days, weeks and months of satisfaction.

This article was published in The Times on 29.02.2012

The things you didn’t know about wildlife and colour

The poppy

Carnival is over, bringing an end to five days of colour that added some cheer to life after weeks of dull cloudy weather. 

For this carnival as in previous years many designers were inspired by the most colourful species in nature particularly parrots, butterflies and fish. 

Colours are used as an effective means of communication giving such messages as “I am good to eat”, “I am dangerous” and “I am a good partner”. 

On the other hand colours are often used as camouflage to hide the animal from prey or predators.

Many fruits and berries change colour from green to red as they ripen. 

Plants want birds and mammals to eat their fruit only when the seeds are fully developed and until this happens the fruit is not fit to eat.

Flowers use colour to attract pollinators, especially insects. 

Bright colours are easily seen against a green background but what we see is not necessarily what insects see because although insects, like humans can distinguish colours, their range of vision is different from ours. 

Insects are able to see ultraviolet light which we are not. Thus some flowers that are plain to us have lines and patterns that guide the insects to the nectar.

Many orchids are shaped and coloured like particular insects to mislead males into thinking that they are females and thus land on them and unwittingly carry pollen from one flower to the other.

This article was published in The Times on 26.02.12)

Crocuses from sands of time

Next time you go for a walk in the countryside especially in areas with rocky garigue, look out for the brightly coloured sand crocuses which are starting to flower at this time of the year. 

Sand crocuses are scientifically known as the romulea a name derived from Romulus, one of the legendary founders of Rome, because whoever gave them their name found large numbers of these plants growing around the Italian city.

The romuleas, of which there are about 80 species, are found in Europe, North Africa and South Africa. 

They form part of the iris family which is characterised by having linear or sword-like leaves. 

The leaves of the sand crocuses are in fact look like green threads.

Until a few decades ago two species of romuleas were recorded in the Maltese islands with one species being divided into four varieties. 

These varieties have now been designated as species and we now have five romuleas present in the Maltese islands although to the untrained eye the five species are so alike that it seems next to impossible to tell apart.

Some species of romulea are cultivated as garden plants although they are not as popular as the larger crocuses.

The violet romulea (żagħfran tal-blat biċ-ċentru roża) is very rare and one is unlikely to meet it unless looking specifically for it. Another species, the Maltese romulea, (żagħfran tal-blat ta’ Malta) is endemic to the Maltese islands, although it is very rare and might already be extinct.

Some romuleas are very similar to crocuses with which they share the same habitat. Although they are both members of the iris family they belong to separate groups and have evolved separately. 

Their similarity is a result of the fact they the two groups of plants share the same ecological niche have evolved in the same way to deal with the same environmental conditions a process known as convergent evolution. 

This article was published in The Times on 01/02/2012

When time stands still

Nature photography is a most rewarding experience practiced by different persons for different reasons but in all cases what probably draws one to this activity is a love of nature and the pleasure one gets from being outdoors.

Naturalists take pictures of plants and animals to keep a record of species observed at a particular time or locality.

They also take pictures to illustrate articles and lectures. Professional nature photographers shoot pictures for commercial purposes.

These pictures are used to in advertising as well as to illustrate articles in printed magazines and in websites.

For me nature photography is a way of sharing my love for nature with others but it also gives me great pleasure and has taught me to be observant and continuously aware of my surroundings.

When I am in the countryside I become tuned to small changes in light that others might miss.

With the right light a flower, a drop of water on a leaf, an insect or small animal can all become the subject of an impressive image.

Motion can be frozen and a photograph can show things that are too fast to be seen by the naked eye.

Macro lenses can show details that are too small for a casual observer while a long lens can bring things closer.

Nature photography teaches you patience.

Sometimes you have to wait for a long time for the right light or the right movement but while waiting you observe details and behaviour.

It often happens that while walking you notice a single flower but after a few moments looking at it you start seeing others around it in spots where a few seconds before you had not seen any.

While taking nature pictures time stands still. Minutes and hours can merge together to come apart again with the click of the camera shutter. When seeking the subject for the next picture one becomes a part of nature with all senses fully tuned to the surroundings.

Nature photography can be a form of meditation that can give you inner peace and calm and lead to self fulfilment like few other things can. Nature never ceases to amaze me and when I think that I have seen it all I find another angle or point of view that allows me to capture a new experience of nature.

All this gives me pure joy every time I go out in nature.

This article was published in The Times on 20.01.12

The common autumn squill

This common flower is so difficult to notice. It is about five centimetres high with very small light pink flowers that blend perfectly with the light coloured soil common in the arid rocky areas where this plant grows. 

It is also difficult to see it because when it is blooming there are no green leaves to attract your attention. The leaves appear above ground after the end of the flowering season.

The flowers appear in the autumn soon after the first rains. Like other species of autumn-flowering plants it is able to do so because of the food stored in the bulb which had been manufactured by the plant during the previous season.

The autumn squill is known in Maltese as għansal tax-xitwa. It is widespread in Mediterranean countries from Turkey to Spain as well as further north as far as southern England and the Middle East all the way to northern Iraq. In Malta it is common in the right habitat

Two other species of squill are known in the Maltese islands. The large squill, known in Maltese as għansal selvaġġ, is probably extinct from the Maltese islands. The Sicilian squill, għansal ikħal in Maltese, is a regional endemic found only in the Maltese islands and neighbouring islands including Sicily.

Until some years ago the autumn squill belonged to the same group of plants as the other two locally occurring squills but recently its name was changed from Scilla autumnalis to Prospero autumnalis. 

Prospero is the main character in The Tempest one of Shakespeare play. 

I had read this play when I was still at school but I cannot imagine why this tiny flowering plant was named after this character. Perhaps if I re-read the play I could get some clues that would help me solve this problem! 

This article was published in The Times on 2.11.11

Appreciating the richness of our country’s biodiversity

Autumn grape hyacinth

Last Sunday I was at l-Aħrax tal-Mellieħa taking pictures of the fauna and flora. Until fifty years ago the area consisted mostly of garigue habitat. This habitat consists of rocky ground with depressions and fissures containing a thin layer of soil. 

Many species of aromatic shrubs such as the Mediterranean thyme grows in such a habitat. The thyme provided nectar to bees which produced the much sought after thyme honey for which the area around Mellieħa was well known. 

A few decades ago it was decided to replace this important habitat with woodland. Most of L-Aħrax nowadays consists of low trees under which grow non-indigenous plants especially the Cape sorrel (ħaxixa ngliża).

Here and there one still finds small patches with plants that must have been present when the area was still garigue.

Among these patches last Sunday I found the autumn narcissus (narċis imwaħħar) and the autumn grape hyacinth (ġjaċint tal-ħarifa). The latter is a small plant with blue bell-shaped flowers. This is the only species of grape hyacinth that flowers in the autumn. It grows in patches of soil in garigue habitat in a small number of localities and I had not seen it for a number of years so I spent some time taking pictures of the small interesting flowers.

What struck me most during day was that as people arrived to picnics at L-Aħrax most of them seemed oblivious of their surroundings. They saw the trees but did not distinguish between the different species and I was sure that they had not heard the robins singing loudly in the trees beneath which they were sitting and they did not notice the different flowers some of which ended up crushed under their feet. 

I do not expect others to be expert naturalists but I realised that by not being aware of the fauna and flora of the Maltese islands many fail to fully appreciate the richness of their country’s biodiversity. 

This article was written in The Times on 26.10.11

The shiny yellow autumn buttercup

Autumn buttercup (Ranunculus bullatus)

During the past few days summer gave way to autumn. The air became cooler and enough rain fell to stimulate bulbs, corms and tubers to start growing leaves and to initiate the process of germination of those seeds that had been lying dormant in the soil from last spring or earlier. 

The change from parched brown to fresh green takes place incredibly fast and the change from green to bright yellow which will take place within a few weeks time is even faster.

Plants with underground storage organs have an advantage over plants which have to germinate from a seed.

This advantage makes it possible for them to flower soon after the arrival of the first rains. This weekend I found one of the first plants to flower in autumn, the autumn buttercup.

This plant, which is known in Maltese as ċifolloq, has shiny yellow flowers. It can be found growing in garigue, maquis and steppe.

In the next few days the flowers of the autumn narcissus (narċis imwaħħar) will also appear in the same habitats. These will be followed by the yellow-throated crocus (żagħfran salvaġġ) which is found mainly in garigue and steppe habitats in the Buskett and Dingli area. 

There will also be less showy plants for which you will need to look more carefully. Among these is a small orchid known as autumn lady’s tresses (ħajja u mejta). Most of these flowers will disappear by the time winter officially starts by which time many other species of winter flowering plants will be in bloom.

Autumn in Malta is a time of rebirth. The autumn rains give life to the countryside and many species of plants make the most out of the available water and sunlight to grow rapidly before the arrival of the colder and darker winter months.

This article was published in The Times on 19.10.11

Seed dispersal to germinate away from parent plant

Squirting cucumber (Ecballium elaterium)

Most plants have strategies to disperse their seeds which ensures that they germinate away from the parent plant. 

Seed dispersal is important because most plants have little or no mobility and thus would not be able to colonise new areas and habitats. 

Dispersal is also important as it takes seeds away from areas where they would face stiff competition from plants of the same species.

Plants use both internal and external forces to scatter their seeds far and wide. These include gravity, wind, water, explosive forces, and dispersion by animals including humans. Sometimes dispersal can be by more than one means thus a plant might allow a seed to fall onto the ground so that late it would be carried away by water. This often happens when coconuts fall to the ground along the coast and then carried away when the tide rises.

Some species can forcefully discharge their seeds long over large distances. The seed pods of the bear’s breaches (ħannewija) open with such force that they make a sound like a small pistol shot. 

The squirting cucumber, known in Maltese as faqqus il-ħmir, belongs to the cucumber family. During the summer months it forms a green-yellow fruit about the size of a large olive. 

It gets its name from the fact that when ripe the fruit ejects the seeds out together with a stream of thick liquid. When very ripe the slightest touch is enough for the fruit to explode. 

Children sometimes play with these fruit shooting the seeds and liquid at each other or throwing them in the direction of each other to see them explode and hitting each other with the seeds. 

The liquid that forms in the fruit is highly toxic but it has been used medicinally since classic times. It can act as a laxative and is known as a violent purgative. In parts of Cyprus and Turkey the juice is believed to cure cases of sinusitis, hepatitis and earache.

This article was published in The Times on 24.08.11

Colours in the Maltese countryside

Every winter I notice that during this dark season the flowers are most wild flowers blooming at this time of the year are yellow. As the days get longer, the sun brighter and the air warmer other colours especially reds and pink start to appear more often. 

At the peak of the spring flowering season yellow ceases to be the dominant colour.

The most common flowers in winter are the cape sorrel (ħaxixa ngliża), and the crown daisy (lellux – which means bright yellow or shiny in Maltese). Another common species is the perennial hyoseris which is known in Maltese as żigland tal-pizzi. This might seem like a coincidence but in nature it is evolution that shapes life.

Flowers are the reproductive structures of plants. They consist of male and female sexual organs. The female organs are the ovaries which produce the ovules. The stamens are column-like structures. They are topped by an anther where pollen is produced. When pollen reaches the ovules fertilisation takes place and seeds are formed. Some flowers are fertilised by their own pollen but evolution has pushed plants towards cross-fertilisation as this ensures genetic diversity and makes plants better able to deal with changes in the environment. 

Pollen may be transferred by wind or in rare cases by water. Wind-pollinated flowers do not need to attract pollinators and they are usually small, unattractive structure with no fragrance. The pollen is small and light and contains little if any proteins and is thus of no nutritional value to animals. Other plants require animals, such as insects, birds or bats to transfer the pollen from one flower to another. 

These plants have showy flowers and attract animals by providing them with nectar and nutrient-rich pollen. They usually have large coloured petals and nectar guides which show pollinators were to look for nectar. These guides are sometimes visible only in UV light which we cannot see but which can be seen by bees. Flowers also attract pollinators by scent.

I have not yet seen any studies about the colour of flowers during different seasons but I think that yellow being a bright colour is easier to see in low light intensity. In winter brightly coloured flowers attract more insects as they are more easily seen in low light. In spring, having a yellow colour does not give them an advantage over plants with other colours. 

This article was published in The Times on 09.02.2011

Autumn - a time for rebirth and growth

Mediterranean meadow-saffron (Colchicum cupanni)

In Malta, as in many other parts of the world, the year is divided into four seasons. 

In temperate regions autumn is generally regarded as a melancholic season that announces the end of summer, the arrival of winter darkness and cold stormy weather. Most Maltese have been brought up with this idea when in actual fact autumn in Malta is a time of rebirth and growth.

In ecological terms the Maltese year can be divided into two approximately equal seasons; the wet season and the dry season. Autumn is the beginning of the rainy season which comes immediately after six months of heat and drought. 

The first autumn rains bring life back to the parched countryside changes from brown to green as the seeds of annual plants which had been dormant in the soil throughout the dry season start germinating. 

The rains also stimulate plants which survive the dry season as bulbs, corms or tubers to start growing again. Some species such as the Mediterranean meadow saffron (busieq) flowers a few days after the first rains. The flowers appear before the leaves emerge from underground. 

This gives these plants an advantage over other autumn flowering plants as they have to compete with fewer flowers to attract bees and other pollinating insects. The flowers of the meadow saffron are soon followed by others such as the autumn ladies tresses (ħajja u mejta tal-ħarifa) a small rare orchid. 

The list of autumn flowering plants includes the yellow-throated crocus (żagħfran selvaġġ) and, the autumn narcissus (narċis imwaħħar)

Carob trees (siġar tal-ħarrub), which are either male or female, flower from mid-October to mid-November. The flowers have a strong smell of decomposing vegetation which attracts flies which inadvertently carry pollen from one tree to another.

The rains also stimulate many species of fungi to put forth the fruiting bodies with which we are familiar. 

This article was published in The Times on 3.10.2010

Garigue

Garigue is one of the main natural habitats in Malta. The other main habitats are the steppe, maquis and woodland. 

It is found in other parts of the Mediterranean in areas with limestone soils usually near the coast where the conditions are not as hot and dry as further inland. 

In Maltese garigue is known as xagħri. In Greece it is known as phrygana, in Spain as tomillares and in Israel as batha. 

In the American west a similar habitat is known as chaparral. Garigue is best described as open rocky areas with pitted and fissured ground in which one can find a thin layer of soil. In other parts of the Mediterranean and probably in Malta as well garigue was formed as a result of the cutting down of the original trees to create land for agriculture by prehistoric man as well as by grazing of domestic animals and fires.

Garigue vegetation is low and usually consists of aromatic shrubs such as the Mediterranean thyme (sagħtar) Mediterranean heath (erika), spurges (tengħud), the olive-leaved germander (żebbuġija) and the white hedge-nettle (te Sqalli) amongst others. Very often one particular species of plant dominates a particular area.

It is believed that these shrubs produce aromatic oils and other chemicals which leach into the soil and these prevent the growth of other plants in the vicinity especially annuals. 

This gives rise to the characteristic open spaces of garigue areas. The flowers of garigue shrubs are an important source of nectar which is collected by bees to form honey. Malta has been well known since antiquity for its thyme honey and it is believed that the name Melita is derived from the Greek word for honey.

Much of the garigue of the Maltese islands has disappeared. Vast areas have been built upon and tracts have been covered with soil and converted into fields. Some areas have been ‘reclaimed’ and planted with trees. There are now fewer thyme bushes for bees to visit with a consequential loss in the production of thyme honey.

It is not possible to bring back lost garigue but it is important that what is left is protected. It is also possible to increase the amount of thyme and native plants in gardens and in urban areas. 

This would help native species of insects and other animals and provide bees with nectar. The Environment Landscape Consortium would do well to plant these plants in areas for which they are responsible such as roundabouts and road verges instead of non-indigenous species with no ecological value. These plants have the added value that they require very little water thus reducing the amount of water used in keeping these areas green. 

This article was published in The Times on 27.01.2010

Alien plant species on the increase

Malta’s plant and animal life can be divided into indigenous (native) and alien (introduced) species. The introduction of plants and animals in the Maltese islands has been going on since prehistoric times. 

The excavations at Għar Dalam unearthed the fossilised remains of black rat, brown rat, cattle, sheep, pig and cat as well as domesticated plants such as wheat, barley and lentils. 

The introduction of alien species continued throughout historic times and the trend is that it is increasing as a result of an increase in commercial activities.

Most introduced species do not survive in nature and if they do they disappear after a short time but some manage to establish themselves and even become common sometimes to the detriment of indigenous species.

Alien species arrive in the Maltese islands for a variety of reasons. Some are introduced for agriculture and aquaculture. The sulla (silla) is grown for fodder but can also be found on clay slopes. Some such as the castor oil tree (siġra tar-riċċnu )have been introduced as ornamental plants while the cape sorrel (ħaxixa ngliża) which is now the commonest plant in Malta was originally grown in the Argotti Botanical Garden in Floriana. 

Several species of plants were imported with bird seeds and crop seeds these include the canary grass which has become naturalised.

Successful aliens usually do not have natural enemies, they are able to disperse easily and are good opportunists and find an empty ecological niche which they can occupy. They often manage to make a foothold in stressed areas such as disturbed land and agricultural land. The shrub tobacco (tabakk tas-swar), another introduced species, is common in building rubble.

Many species of plants which have become part of the Maltese countryside were not always present. Carob, fig and almond trees have been in Malta since antiquity. The prickly pear was introduced in the 16th century for its fruit and as a hedge plant.

Some plants such as the castor oil tree can become problematic weeds. This species which has striking large leaves and small greenish flowers was probably imported as an ornamental plant and now grows in valley watercourses where it competes with indigenous species.

This article was published in The Times on 03.02.2010

Plantains

About nine species of plantain have been recorded in the Maltese islands. They are small plants with small wind-pollinated flowers. Many species have medicinal properties while some are edible and can be used in salads and sauces.
About 200 species of plantain have been identified. They are found in different habitats throughout the world especially in wet areas. Some species are weeds and can grow along road sides and in other disturbed habitats. The inflorescence develops on a stalk which ranges in height from 5 to 40 cm and can be in the shape of a cone or spike with large numbers of small flowers.
Plantains have been used since antiquity externally to treat insect bites, rashes and minor sores as well as internally as a treatment for coughs, bronchitis and other conditions. In folklore it was believed to be an effective cure for snakebite.
One of the most common species of plantain in Malta is the Mediterranean plantain (biżbula) which can be seen in flower from late winter to late spring in cultivated and waste ground. Another common species is the buck’s horn plantain (salib l-art). This species flowers from March to October. Another species that flowers during the same period is the greater plantain (biżbula kbira). This species can be found in damp shady valleys such as Fiddien where the specimen shown in the picture was photographed.
The greater plantain is native to most of Europe, northern and central Asia and has become a naturalised weed wherever European colonisation took place. Some Native Americans called it “Englishman’s foot because it appeared wherever the white settlers set foot.
It is a powerful coagulant and quickly staunches the flow of blood and encourages the repair of damaged tissue hence it is used to treat bruises and broken bones. It has been used as a field dressing and is often known as ‘Soldier’s Herb’. It has also been used to prevent uterine bleeding after childbirth.
Some cultivars are used in gardens for their ornamental value and because its leaves are an important food for the caterpillar of many species of butterflies. (This article was published in The Times on 31.08.2010)

The common fresia - a member of South Africa's iris family

The freesia is another non-indigenous species that was cultivated in Maltese gardens that now grows in the Maltese countryside. It is a South African member of the iris family. There are about 16 species of freesias. 

Fourteen are native to the Cape Province in South Africa and two are found in tropical Africa as far north as Sudan. The genus was named after Friedrich Heinrich Theodor Freese, a German physician who lived between 1795 and 1876.

The common freesia, which is known in Maltese as freżja, has grassy foliage, and wiry spikes of bell-like, lemon-scented flowers in white, yellow, orange and blue. A few decades ago only white-coloured freesias were cultivated but nowadays many other varieties and hybrids can be found in flower and gardening shops. These usually are larger than the old variety and come in an incredible variety of colours. 

Due to their specific and pleasing scent, they are often used in the manufacture of hand creams, shampoos and candles.

In Malta the common freesia can be found growing in such places as Buskett Gardens and the grounds of Verdala Palace. It manages to grow wild because parts of South Africa, where this species comes from, like the Maltese islands has a Mediterranean climate. 

This climate is characterised by warm to hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. South Africa is not the only part of the world with a similar climate to ours. This climatic type is also found in much of California, in parts of Western and South Australia, and in parts of central Chile.

Freesias are used as a food plant by the larvae of some moth species including the large yellow underwing, known in Maltese as baħrija safra kbira. This is a very common species of moth found throughout most of Europe and North Africa extending east all the way to India. It can be seen between March and May and again between August and November. 

This article was published in The Times on 17.02.2010

Poppies - long used as a symbol of sleep and death

Poppies are among the most common spring flowers in Malta. The most familiar is the common poppy which grows in very large numbers in cultivated fields but one should take up the challenge and try to spot the other species which also thrive in the Maltese islands. 

At least five other less familiar but still common species of poppy can be found without difficulty if one looks carefully at the flowers growing in fields and along country paths at this time of the year.

The opium poppy (xaħxieħ vjola) has large violet flowers and is easily identified. Less showy but just as interesting is the bristly poppy (peprin tal-lanżit) which has claret flowers and bristly fruit. The other two common species are the long-headed poppy (pepprin tal-frotta twila) and the Mediterranean poppy (pepprin tal-istammi sofor). Another species is the yellow horned poppy (pepprin isfar) which flowers later in spring on disturbed land close to the coast.

Most poppy species have been grown in gardens and some are used for both drugs and food. The opium poppy is cultivated in large quantities for opium and opiates as well as for poppy seed which is used in cooking and baking and poppy seed oil. Poppies have long been used as a symbol of sleep and death because of the opium extracted from them and the red colour. 

In some cultures they are used as emblems in tombstones to symbolize eternal sleep and resurrection.

The poppies are just a handful of the large number of flowering plants that one can find in the Maltese countryside. Over one thousand species of flowering flowers have been recorded. 

This article was publishen in the Times on 07.04.10

The weird and parasitic broomrapes

Broomrapes are very strange looking plants. They are not green and do not have leaves. They are parasites and live by taking nutrients from other plants. 

A typical broomrape looks like a brown or yellow fleshy stalk growing out of the soil close to another plant. When fully grown they also have several small unimpressive snapdragon-like flowers growing close to the top of this solitary stalk. 

The plants are seen at the end of winter or during spring. They appear above ground only when it is time to flower. 

During the rest of their lives they live underground closely associated with the roots of a host plan on which they are totally dependent. They have very small seeds that become black with time. The seeds can remain alive in the soil for many years until they are stimulated to germinate by the presence by certain compounds produced by the living roots of a host plant. 

The seedlings put out root-like growth which attaches to the roots of the nearby host. Once attached to a host, the broomrape robs its host of water and nutrient.

There are about 200 species of broomrape of which about 13 are found in the Maltese islands. These include an endemic species and an endemic race. Some species are able to parasite a single plant species. These species are often named after the plant they parasitise. 

One such plant is the endemic Maltese race of the dwarf broomrape. Originally this species parasitised several species of leguminous plant but in Malta it has become a parasite of the Cape sorrel (ħaxixa Ngliża) and in fact in Maltese it known as budebbus ta’ l-Ingliża.

The species shown with today’s article, the common broomrape, is on the other hand a parasite of a large variety of plants of the leguminous and composite families. It can be seen in flower in March and April but is not as common as its name suggests. 

This article appeared in The Times on 10.03.2010