Wikijunior:Summer Flowers of Northern New England/Melampyrum lineare

Cow Wheat (Melampyrum lineare)
Description: This little plant has small tube-shaped flowers that are white on the outside, but cream-colored on the inside. The flower looks a little bit like a snake's head! It has two types of leaves. The lower ones are straight, but the upper ones have two wings near the stem pointing backwards. This plant never gets more than a foot high. It gets part of its energy from the sun, and part of its energy from other plants. Quick Facts: Although this plant is common in New England, it is endangered or threatened in other parts of the United States.