any of several small annual or perennial herbs of the sandalwood family (Santalaceae) that have narrow leaves resembling those of true toadflax (Linaria). In North America, bastard toadflax refers to plants of the genus Comandra. They are sometimes parasitic on the roots of other plants and have creeping roots, small white flowers clustered at the top of each plant, and one-seeded fruits.

In Europe the name bastard toadflax is used for plants of the genus Thesium, which also has species distributed throughout Africa, Asia, and South America. The bisexual yellow or yellowish green flowers are grouped in terminal clusters, and the one-seeded fruit is dry and green.