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goldenthread, inland salt-marsh dodder, salt dodder, saltmarsh dodder

bushclover dodder

Stems

orange-yellow, slender.

orange, medium.

Inflorescences

loose to dense, corymbiform;

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

loose to compact, glomerulate or corymbiform;

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

Pedicels

(0.5–)1–5 mm.

0.8–4(–5) mm, sometimes papillate.

Flowers

5-merous, 2.5–4.5 mm, membranous, not papillate or corolla lobes papillate;

calyx yellow, cylindric to narrowly campanulate, equaling corolla tube length, divided 1/2 its length, not reticulate, ± glossy, lobes lance-ovate to lanceolate, bases not overlapping, margins entire, midvein not carinate, apex acute to acuminate;

corolla white, drying creamy white, 2.2–4 mm, tube cylindric-campanulate to obconic, 1.2–2 mm, not saccate, lobes spreading to reflexed, lance-oblong to lance-ovate, equaling corolla tube length, margins entire or irregular, apex acute to acuminate or cuspidate, sometimes appearing tridentate, straight;

infrastaminal scales oblong to obovate, 1–1.7 mm, 4/5 corolla tube length, bridged at 0.2–0.4 mm, rounded, uniformly densely fimbriate, fimbriae 0.1–0.3 mm;

stamens exserted at full anthesis, shorter than corolla lobes;

filaments 0.3–0.7 mm;

anthers 0.3–0.7 × 0.2–0.5 mm;

styles uniformly filiform, 0.4–0.9 mm, shorter than ovary.

5-merous, 2.5–3.8 mm, membranous, perianth and ovary papillate;

calyx yellow to reddish brown, cupulate, ± equaling corolla tube length, divided 1/2–2/3 its length, ± reticulate, shiny, lobes ovate-triangular, bases not overlapping, margins entire, midvein not carinate, without multicellular protuberances, apex obtuse to subacute;

corolla white, drying yellow to reddish brown, 1.4–3.4 mm, tube campanulate, later globose, 1.1–1.8 mm, saccate between lines of stamen attachments, lobes spreading to reflexed, triangular, equaling corolla tube length, margins entire, apex acute to acuminate, inflexed;

infrastaminal scales ovate to spatulate, 1.2–2 mm, equaling or longer than corolla tube length, bridged at 0.3–0.5 mm, rounded, uniformly densely fimbriate, fimbriae 0.3–0.7 mm;

stamens exserted, shorter than corolla lobes;

filaments 0.4–0.7 mm;

anthers 0.4–0.7 × 0.4–0.5 mm;

styles filiform, 0.9–1.6 mm, equaling or longer than ovary.

Capsules

ellipsoid-ovoid, 1.6–2.5 × 1.7–2.4 mm, thickened and raised around relatively small interstylar aperture, not translucent, surrounded or capped by withered corolla, indehiscent.

depressed-globose to depressed, 1.5–2.8 × 2.1–3.5 mm, not thickened or raised around relatively mid-sized to large interstylar aperture, not translucent, 1/2–2/3 of base enveloped by withered corolla, indehiscent.

Seeds

1, ± obcompressed, broadly ellipsoid to subglobose, 1.3–1.5 × 1.2–1.4 mm, hilum region subterminal.

2–4, angled, subglobose to broadly ellipsoid, 0.9–1.1 × 0.8–1 mm, hilum region subterminal.

2n

= 30.

Cuscuta salina

Cuscuta glabrior

Phenology Flowering Mar–Nov. Flowering Apr–Sep.
Habitat Hosts: Atriplex, Centromadia, Cressa, Frankenia, Jaumea, Plantago, Salicornia, Sal­sola, Suaeda, Trichostema, Wislizenia. Hosts: Amaranthus, Ambrosia, Amphiachyris, Asclepias, Convolvulus, Coreopsis, Croton, Dalea, Dyschoriste, Evolvulus, Gilia, Hedeoma, Helenium, Justicia, Lespedeza, Liatris, Machaeranthera, Medicago, Mimosa, Oenothera, Plantago, Polygonum, Prosopis, Ruellia, Solanum, Symphyotrichum, Thele­sperma, Tragia, Verbena, and other herbs.
Elevation 0–1000 m. (0–3300 ft.) 10–1200 m. (0–3900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; NV; UT; Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
LA; NM; OK; TX; UT; Mexico
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Cuscuta glabrior differs from C. campestris by papillate perianths, non-overlapping calyx lobe bases, corollas saccate between lines of stamen attachments, and capsules more than half enveloped by withered corolla.

Cuscuta glabrior is currently included in North American noxious weed lists although it is not known to attack any crops.

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

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. 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. 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. 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. subinclusa, C. suksdorfii, C. tuberculata, C. umbellata, C. umbrosa, C. warneri
Synonyms C. verrucosa var. glabrior, C. glabrior var. pubescens, C. pentagona var. glabrior, C. pentagona var. pubescens
Name authority Engelmann in W. H. Brewer et al.: Bot. California 1: 536. (1876) (Engelmann) Yuncker: Mem. Torrey Bot. Club 18: 140. (1932)
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