Image to followAI-generated illustrationLathraea squamaria
Lathraea squamaria
FamilyGenus: Lathraeanative in Germany
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4
Species
interact
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8
Interactions
documented
About this species
Lathraea squamaria is native in Great Britain, where it grows as a holoparasitic herb that lacks chlorophyll and depends entirely on a host plant for nutrition. Its flowering stems appear from March to May in shaded, moist, calcareous habitats.
Ecological network
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Pollination
Ecological significance
As a native species in Great Britain, Lathraea squamaria is a natural part of its habitat and is not known to cause adverse ecological effects.
Annual cycle
Flowering stems emerge above ground from March to May. The rest of the plant remains below ground throughout the year as a root parasite.
Standort & Merkmale
Light
Schatten
Moisture
Frisch (Mäßig feucht)
Soil
Mittelzehrer (Normaler Boden)
Flowering period
Mär – Mai
Soil reaction
Basisch / Kalkhold
Bioregion
Continental
Growth form
Krautige Pflanze
Woodiness
Nicht verholzt
Leaf type
Breitblättrig
Plant height
0.282 m
Morphological traits: TRY ID3 (CC BY 3.0) & TRY ID81 (CC BY)
Pflege & Anbau
Lathraea squamaria is an obligate holoparasite and cannot be cultivated without a suitable host. It is not appropriate for ordinary garden planting.
Scientific profile
Native in Great Britain, Lathraea squamaria is a terrestrial, non-woody holoparasite. It grows in shaded places with fresh to moderately moist, calcareous, medium-fertility soils. The plant reaches about 0.28 metres in height and has broad leaves. Because it contains no chlorophyll, it obtains all its nutrients from the roots of other plants. Flowering takes place between March and May.
Pollinators & visitors
4 Arten interagieren mit dieser Pflanze
Sources & data origin
•Interaktionsdaten via GloBI (CC-BY 4.0)
•FloraWeb / BfN
•EIVE 1.0 — Dengler et al. (2023), DOI: 10.3897/VCS.98324 (CC BY 4.0)
•GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — GBIF Secretariat (2024), DOI: 10.15468/39omei (CC BY 4.0)
•TRY Categorical Traits (ID3) — Kattge et al. (2012), DOI: 10.17871/TRY.3 (CC BY 3.0)
•TRY Global Spectrum (ID81) — Díaz et al. (2016/2021), DOI: 10.17871/TRY.81 (CC BY)
•Govaerts R et al. (2025) — World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) v14. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. DOI: 10.34885/xs7h-ze42 (CC BY 4.0)
All data is licensed under CC BY 4.0, CC0, or compatible terms. Attribution according to license conditions. Full source overview →