A good year for a rare parasite

New Forest Aptly named, greater broomrape gains all its nourishment from broom or gorse

The grapevine is important. We were about to leave for Ireland when the call came in. "The plant you told us about in your talk is showing through." No time to check it out before we departed, but we did go to look soon after our return. Nationally scarce and in decline, greater broomrape is uncommon throughout Hampshire. The one colony in the New Forest where it has some strength is possibly the largest in Britain.

In the weeks we have been away, most of the plants have flowered, gone over, and stand as tan-brown sentinels among gorse bushes. A few are in more open ground along root runs. A few still hold their florets with down-turned yellowish-pink lips tinged with purple, and a brightly coloured stigma that looks like two close-set yellow eyes peering out from under the upper hood. Some plants are no more than 10cm tall, others reach nearly a metre.