Flower profile
Narrowleaf cow wheat
Melampyrum lineare
Narrowleaf cow wheat is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Rhode Island
Quick look
Melampyrum lineare, commonly called the narrowleaf cow wheat, is an herbaceous plant in the family Orobanchaceae. It is native to North America, where it is found in southern Canada and the northern United States, with an extension south in the Appalachian Mountains. It has a wide habitat tolerance, but is usually found in dry, acidic soil and somewhat exposed woodlands.
- It belongs to the Orobanchaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a annual life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 27 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Rhode Island. NatureServe
- iNaturalist has 187 research-grade sightings of it in Rhode Island, ranking #86 among the 110 flowers on our Rhode Island list. iNaturalist
Narrowleaf cow wheat gift ideas
Handmade narrowleaf cow wheat gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
-
Placeholder
Narrowleaf cow wheat art print
-
Placeholder
Narrowleaf cow wheat greeting card
-
Placeholder
Narrowleaf cow wheat mug
-
Placeholder
Narrowleaf cow wheat earrings
-
Placeholder
Narrowleaf cow wheat embroidery pattern
-
Placeholder
Narrowleaf cow wheat sticker
When does it bloom?
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Rhode Island
- Not listed Not on Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Rhode Island. RI rare plants 2016
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: IL (SX), IN (S1), SC (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records narrowleaf cow wheat in 27 states plus Washington, D.C.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.
Rhode Island counties with USDA records: Bristol, Kent, Providence, Washington.
More Rhode Island flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile MELI2.
- iNaturalist, Melampyrum lineare: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Melampyrum lineare (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Rhode Island: Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Melampyrum lineare (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Lynn Harper via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.