Aphyllon tuberosum

Aphyllon tuberosum is a species of broomrape known by the common name chaparral broomrape. It is native to the chaparral of California and Baja California, where it is a parasite growing attached to the roots of shrubs, usually chamise. This plant arises from a thick root and a bulbous, twisted, scaly stem base, and grows erect to a maximum height near 30 centimeters. As a parasite taking its nutrients from a host plant, it lacks leaves and chlorophyll. It is dark purple to nearly black in color, with tiny whitish bumps bearing hairs. The flower cluster is a dense spikelike or pyramid-shaped cluster of generally over 20 flowers. Each flower is tubular, between 1 and 2 centimeters long, and yellow to purple in color. The fruit is a capsule containing minute seeds.