No images found for this plant ID: 12896.
Ensure images are uploaded to the Media Library and tagged with "12896" in the "plant_image_tag" taxonomy.
Sonoran dodder
Scientific Name: Cuscuta erosa
Family: Cuscutaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth: Vine, Forb/herb
Duration: Perennial
Other Names:
Sonoran Dodder (Cuscuta erosa)
Cuscuta erosa, commonly known as Sonoran Dodder, is a parasitic plant found in specific regions of North America.
Considerations for Pets
- The plant has numerous fleshy, orange-yellow stems that twine and drape.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Cuscuta erosa Yunck.
- Common Name: Sonoran Dodder
- Family: Cuscutaceae (also sometimes classified under Convolvulaceae)
- Rank: Species
- Nomenclatural Reference: Illinois Biol. Monogr. 6, nos. 2-3: 26, fig. 8, 61. 1921.
- Synonyms: None explicitly mentioned in the text, but the plant is sometimes associated with the family Convolvulaceae, reflecting differing taxonomic classifications.
Distribution and Habitat
- Found in the USA (Arizona) and Mexico (Sonora, Veracruz, Baja California).
- Often seen in deserts, specifically the Sonoran Desert.
- May be found in the Upper Sonoran (Mojave Desert Scrub) life zone.
Ecological Role
- Cuscuta erosa is a parasitic plant. It attaches to and obtains nutrients from host plants via structures called haustoria.
Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits
- It is a perennial vine.
- Characterized by numerous fleshy, orange-yellow stems.
- It twines and drapes over other plants, utilizing them as hosts.
Interactions with Other Organisms
- It parasitizes other plants. Example of host plants mentioned include: unidentified fleshy-leaved shrub, Rosary Babybonnets (Csetia glandulosa), and Ipomoea barbatisepala.
Quirky Facts
- The name "Sonora" comes from the Spanish word meaning "sonorous".
Further Information
- UA Herbarium
- Encyclopedia of Life