[Wikipedia] Middle East native: Orobanche aegyptiaca, the Egyptian broomrape, is a plant which is an obligate holoparasite from the family Orobanchaceae with a complex lifecycle. This parasite is most common in the Middle East and has a wide host range including many economically important crops. Selective control of Egyptian broomrape is extremely difficult because the close association between host crop and parasite limits the use of most mechanical and herbicidal approaches. (link added by Mary Ann Machi)