Melampyrum lineare, commonly called the narrowleaf cow wheat,[1] 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.

[2] It has a wide habitat tolerance, but is usually found in drier and somewhat exposed woodlands.

[3] This species is hemiparasitic, meaning it receives energy from both photosynthesis and root parasitism.

Researchers have suggested the proposed varieties represent adaptations to varying habitats, and are not reproductively isolated.