The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

big seed alfalfa dodder, collared dodder, inelegant dodder, large-seed dodder

canyon dodder

Stems

yellow to orange, slender to medium.

yellow to orange, medium.

Inflorescences

loose to dense, paniculiform or corymbiform, sometimes originating endogenously;

bracts at base of clusters 1, at base of pedicels 0 or 1, ovate to lanceolate, membranous, margins entire, apex acute.

dense, ± glomerulate;

bracts at base of clusters 1, at base of pedicels and/or flowers 0 or 1, lanceolate to ovate, membranous, margins entire, apex acute to acuminate.

Pedicels

0.5–6 mm, usually papillate.

0–1 mm.

Flowers

5-merous, 3–4.5(–5.3) mm, fleshy, perianth cells convex, domelike, perianth and ovary usually papillate;

calyx creamy yellow to brownish, cupulate, 1/2–3/4 or longer than corolla tube length, divided 1/3–2/3 its length, not reticulate or shiny, lobes triangular-ovate to lanceolate, bases overlapping or not, margins entire, midvein not carinate, apex acute to attenuate;

corolla white, drying creamy yellow to dark brown, 2.5–4(–5) mm, tube campanulate to campanulate-cylindric, becoming subglobose or urceolate, 1.7–3 mm, not saccate, lobes suberect to erect, triangular-ovate, 1/3 to equaling corolla tube length, margins entire, apex acute, inflexed;

infrastaminal scales subspatulate to spatulate, 1.7–3 mm, equaling corolla tube length, bridged at 0.3–0.9 mm, usually rounded, rarely truncate or 2 or 3(or 4)-lobed, uniformly densely fimbriate, fimbriae 0.4–0.7 mm;

stamens barely exserted or included, shorter than corolla lobes;

filaments 0.3–0.7 mm;

anthers 0.3–0.8 × 0.2–0.5 mm;

styles filiform, 1–2.5 mm, equaling ovary.

5-merous, 5–7(–9 mm), membranous, papillate on corolla lobes;

calyx usually straw yellow, sometimes brown, campanulate, 1/2 corolla tube length, divided 3/5–2/3 its length, finely reticulate, shiny, lobes broadly ovate to lanceolate, bases overlapping, margins entire, midvein not carinate, apex acute, sometimes cuspidate;

corolla white, drying creamy yellow or brownish, 4.5–6.6 mm, tube cylindric, 2.5–3.5(–4.5) mm, not saccate, usually with horizontal ridges between stamen attachments, lobes spreading to reflexed, ovate-triangular, 1/4–1/3 corolla tube length, margins entire, apex acute, often slightly acuminate, straight;

infrastaminal scales oblong to spatulate, 1.5–2.2 mm, 1/2–2/3 corolla tube length, bridged at 0.3–0.7 mm, rounded, uniformly densely to sparsely fimbriate, fimbriae 0.2–0.4 mm;

stamens slightly exserted, shorter than corolla lobes;

filaments 0–0.1 mm;

anthers 0.8–2 × 0.4–0.5 mm;

styles 1–1.5 mm, equaling ovary.

Capsules

globose to subglobose, 2–3.5 × 1.9–4(–5) mm, thickened and raised around relatively mid-sized interstylar aperture, translucent, surrounded or capped by withered corolla, indehiscent.

ovoid to ellipsoid, 1.5–3 × 1.2–2.5 mm, narrowed and thickened, forming collar around relatively small interstylar aperture, not translucent, capped by withered corolla, indehiscent.

Seeds

2–4, shape heterogeneous on same plant: obcompressed to weakly angled, broadly ellipsoid to transversely oblique, 1.4–1.8 × 1.2–1.6 mm, hilum region usually subterminal, rarely almost terminal.

1, usually subglobose to broadly ovoid, rarely slightly obcompressed, 1.3–1.7 × 1.2–1.5 mm, hilum region terminal.

Cuscuta indecora

Cuscuta subinclusa

Phenology Flowering Apr–Oct.
Habitat forests near streams, canyon bottoms, wetlands, salt marshes.
Elevation 0–2000 m. (0–6600 ft.)
Distribution
from USDA
North America; Mexico; South America; West Indies
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Cuscuta indecora is closely related to C. coryli; it differs by its usually five-merous, larger flowers, uniformly densely fimbriate infrastaminal scales, and more or less translucent, globose to subglobose capsules.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

The name Cuscuta ceanothi Behr may pertain here. The type specimen of C. ceanothi was evidently destroyed, and the protologue is not sufficient to fix application of C. ceanothi to any one species of Cuscuta.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Key
1. Calyces shorter than corolla tubes, divided 1/3–1/2 lengths, lobes triangular-ovate, bases overlapping.
var. indecora
1. Calyces longer than corolla tubes, divided 2/3 lengths, lobes lanceolate, bases not overlapping.
→ 2
2. Flower clusters loose; calyx lobe apices acute; hosts: herbs and woody plants, including Iva annua.
var. longisepala
2. Flower clusters dense; calyx lobe apices acute-attenuate; hosts: usually Iva annua, rarely Symphyotrichum.
var. attenuata
Source FNA vol. 14. FNA vol. 14.
Parent taxa Convolvulaceae > Cuscuta > subg. Grammica Convolvulaceae > Cuscuta > subg. Grammica
Sibling taxa
C. americana, C. approximata, C. azteca, C. boldinghii, C. brachycalyx, C. californica, C. campestris, C. cephalanthi, C. chinensis, C. compacta, C. coryli, C. cuspidata, C. dentatasquamata, C. denticulata, C. draconella, C. epilinum, C. epithymum, C. erosa, C. europaea, C. exaltata, C. glabrior, C. glomerata, C. gronovii, C. harperi, C. howelliana, C. japonica, C. jepsonii, C. legitima, C. leptantha, C. liliputana, C. mitriformis, C. nevadensis, C. obtusiflora, C. occidentalis, C. odontolepis, C. pacifica, C. pentagona, C. plattensis, C. polygonorum, C. rostrata, C. runyonii, C. salina, C. squamata, C. suaveolens, C. subinclusa, C. suksdorfii, C. tuberculata, C. umbellata, C. umbrosa, C. warneri
C. americana, C. approximata, C. azteca, C. boldinghii, C. brachycalyx, C. californica, C. campestris, C. cephalanthi, C. chinensis, C. compacta, C. coryli, C. cuspidata, C. dentatasquamata, C. denticulata, C. draconella, C. epilinum, C. epithymum, C. erosa, C. europaea, C. exaltata, C. glabrior, C. glomerata, C. gronovii, C. harperi, C. howelliana, C. indecora, C. japonica, C. jepsonii, C. legitima, C. leptantha, C. liliputana, C. mitriformis, C. nevadensis, C. obtusiflora, C. occidentalis, C. odontolepis, C. pacifica, C. pentagona, C. plattensis, C. polygonorum, C. rostrata, C. runyonii, C. salina, C. squamata, C. suaveolens, C. suksdorfii, C. tuberculata, C. umbellata, C. umbrosa, C. warneri
Subordinate taxa
C. indecora var. attenuata, C. indecora var. indecora, C. indecora var. longisepala
Name authority Choisy: Mém. Soc. Phys. Genève 9: 278, plate 3, fig. 3. (1842) Durand & Hilgard: Pl. Heermann., 42. (1854)
Web links