any orobanchaceous plant of the genus Orobanche: brownish small-flowered leafless parasites on the roots of other plants, esp on legumes
Word origin
C16: adaptation and partial translation of Medieval Latin rāpum genistae tuber (hence: root nodule) of Genista (a type of broom plant)
broomrape in American English
(ˈbrumˌreɪp; brʊmˌreɪp)
noun
1.
any of a genus (Orobanche) of the broomrape family of leafless, fleshy, parasitic plants growing on the roots of other plants
adjective
2.
designating a family (Orobanchaceae, order Scrophulariales) of dicotyledonous leafless plants,including beechdrops, parasitic on the roots of other plants
Word origin
broom + UNRESOLVED CROSS REF, used as transl. of ML rapum genistae, lit., broom tuber