The leaf and stem  mines of British flies and other insects by Brian Pitkin, Willem Ellis, Colin Plant and Rob Edmunds


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MELAMPYRUM. Cow-wheats. [Scrophulariaceae]


Five species of Melampyrum are recorded in Britain. These include the native Field Cow-wheat (M. arvense), Crested Cow-wheat (M. cristatum), Common Cow-wheat (M. pratense) and Small Cow-wheat (M. sylvaticum).

Field Cow-wheat (M. arvense) is protected under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.

Small Cow-wheat (M. sylvaticum) is protected in Northern Ireland under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order, 1985.

No dipterous miners are recorded on Melampyrum in Britain, but the agromyzid Phytomyza flavofemorata feeds in the seeds elsewhere.

Elsewhere the agromyzid Phytomyza rostrata is recorded mining Melampyrum.

No non-dipterous miners are recorded on Melampyrum in Britain.

Field Cow-wheat - Melampyrum arvense. Image:  Brian Pitkin
Field Cow-wheat - Melampyrum arvense

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Last updated 11-Sep-2008  Brian Pitkin

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