Melampyrum nemorosum explained

Wood cow-wheat^[1] (Melampyrum nemorosum) is an herbaceous flowering plant in the family Orobanchaceae. It is native to Europe. In Sweden it is called natt och dag (Night and Day).^[2] In Russia it is called Ivan-da-Marya (Ivan and Maria), a Christianisation of the traditional Slavic Kupalo-da-Mavka (Kupalo-and-Mavka).

This is an annual plant. The new leaves are blue, turning green as they mature. They are usually toothed at the bases.

This plant is a host to the rust fungus Coleosporium melampyri ^[3] und Cronartium flaccidum with the associated uredium and telium.^[4]

Notes and References

1. https://www.biolib.cz/en/taxon/id40893/
2. http://www.cabi.org/isc/?compid=5&dsid=115551&loadmodule=datasheet&page=481&site=144 Melampyrum nemorosum.
3. Peter Zwetko: Die Rostpilze Österreichs. Supplement und Wirt-Parasit-Verzeichnis zur 2. Auflage des Catalogus Florae Austriae, III. Teil, Heft 1, Uredinales. (PDF; 1,8 MB).
4. Kaitera, J. and H. Nuorteva. (2003). Cronartium flaccidum produces uredinia and telia on Melampyrum nemorosum and on Finnish Vincetoxicum hirundinaria. Forest Pathology 33: 205–213. doi: 10.1046/j.1439-0329.2003.00321.x