# Meadow quail wheat (Melampyrum pratense)

**Swedish: Ängskovall | English: Common Cow-wheat | Family: Orobanchaceae**

The meadow quail wheat (*Melampyrum pratense*), Swedish **Ängskovall**, covers mossy wild berry soils with its pale yellow tubular flowers.

As a semi-parasite (hemiparasite), it carries out photosynthesis itself, but uses small suction organs (haustoria) to tap into the roots of spruce and blueberry bushes to obtain water and mineral salts.

## FAQs

- **Why is quail wheat a semi-parasite?**: It has green leaves for photosynthesis, but extracts additional nutrients from neighboring plants via root suction organs.
- **How do the plant's seeds spread?**: Ants carry the seeds to their nests because they have a nutritious oil body (elaiosome).
- **What color flowers does Ängskovall have?**: Pale yellow to lemon yellow, usually in pairs turned to one side.
- **Is the plant edible?**: Slightly toxic (contains aucubin) and unsuitable for consumption.
- **When is the flowering time?**: June to August.
- **Does the plant cause damage to trees?**: No, the withdrawal is minimal and does not affect mature trees.


## Weitere Informationen

- Botanical illustration: Meadow quail wheat (Melampyrum pratense), in Swedish'Ängskovall'.
- Broomwort family (Orobanchaceae)
- Nature, Taiga & Waters of Västerbotten
- Native to Northern Sweden
- A fascinating semi-parasite of taiga forests that taps nutrients from the roots of neighboring trees.
- Wild flora (semi-parasite)