Where is witchweed from?

Africa
Striga, commonly known as witchweed, is a genus of parasitic plants that occur naturally in parts of Africa, Asia, and Australia. It is in the family Orobanchaceae. Some species are serious pathogens of cereal crops, with the greatest effects being in savanna agriculture in Africa.

How does witchweed affect the environment?

Commonly known as “witchweed,” the parasitic plant Striga hermonthica devastates crops in sub-Saharan Africa. Scientists have discovered a unique protein in Striga that helps sustain its high transpiration. This means that in arid regions, Striga can steal water and nutrients more effectively from its hosts .

What does witchweed look like?

Witchweeds are branched herbs, 15 to about 75 cm (0.5 to 2.5 feet) tall, with opposite or alternate, usually narrow and rough or sometimes scalelike leaves. The two-lipped solitary flowers are red, yellow, purplish, bluish, or white.

How was witchweed introduced to the US?

No one is sure how or when witchweed first came to the United States. However, the slender, red-blossomed parasite was first identified in 1955 by a graduate student from India who knew it as the pest that had ruined sorghum production in his country.

How did witchweed get here?

The date and mode of witchweed’s arrival in the United States are not known (although the fact that it belongs to the Broomrape family may shed some light on its mode of transport). The first plants were discovered by a graduate student from India, who recognized the parasite from his country.

Is Striga total root parasite?

Striga are obligate root-parasitic plants of the major agricultural cereal crops, including millets, in tropical and semi-arid regions of Africa, Middle East, Asia, and Australia. Consequently, they cause severe to even complete losses in crop grain yield.

How do you identify witchweed?

Red witchweed grows 10–40 cm tall and its leaves are arranged in opposite pairs along the stem. Leaves are 6–40 mm long and 1–4 mm wide, and have a tapered, pointed tip. Its flowers are 5–20 mm in diameter and are usually red, but can be white, yellow or pink.

How did musk thistle here?

A native of western Europe, musk thistle was introduced into the eastern UnitedStates in the early 1900s. It was discovered in Davidson County, Tennessee in 1942 and spread quickly throughout the state. Currently musk thistle is present in forty states.

What is Striga lutea?

Kuntze. Synonyms. Striga lutea. Striga asiatica, the Asiatic witchweed or the red witchweed, is a hemiparasitic plant in the family Orobanchaceae. It is native to Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, but has been introduced into other parts of the world including Australia and the United States.

Is Mushroom a total parasite?

mushroom is total parasitic.

Is Rafflesia a total parasite?

Rafflesia is a total root parasite plant. They suck nutrients from the stem of the host.

Why is musk thistle bad?

Musk thistles reduce forage production and use. Cattle will not graze forage plants in heavy infestation of this thistle. Dense infestations of musk thistle compete strongly with grass or other desirable plants for water, light and nutrients. This results in lower income from grazing areas.