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bigseed alfalfa dodder

Scientific Name: Cuscuta indecora var. bifida

Family: Cuscutaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth: Vine, Forb/herb

Duration: Perennial

Other Names:

       

Cuscuta indecora: Bigseed Alfalfa Dodder

Cuscuta indecora, commonly known as Bigseed Alfalfa Dodder, is a fascinating parasitic plant with a wide distribution across North America and beyond. This plant belongs to the dodder family and exhibits unique characteristics that set it apart.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Cuscuta indecora Choisy
  • Common Names: Bigseed Alfalfa Dodder, Pretty Dodder, Large-seed Dodder, Largeseed Dodder, Alfalfa Dodder
  • Family: Convolvulaceae (Morning Glory Family) or Cuscutaceae (Dodder Family) - *Note: There are conflicting classifications of the Cuscuta genus and its appropriate family.*
  • Kingdom: Plantae
  • Taxonomic Rank: Species
  • Synonyms: beggar vine, love fine, strangleweed, western field dodder, greater dodder
  • Varieties:
    • Cuscuta indecora var. indecora Choisy
    • Cuscuta indecora var. neuropetala (Englemann) A.S.
    • Cuscuta indecora var. bifida

Distribution and Habitat

  • Cuscuta indecora is a Great Plains species.
  • It can be found from Illinois to South Dakota and from Florida to California.
  • Its range extends into Mexico.
  • It has been naturalized globally.

Ecological Role

  • Cuscuta indecora is a parasitic plant, meaning it relies on other plants for survival.
  • In Arizona, it is classified as a restricted noxious weed.
  • It is a parasitic plant that grows on stems and other parts of cultivated or wild plants.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

  • Cuscuta indecora is a perennial forb/herb.
  • It exhibits a vine growth habit.
  • Dodders are seed plants parasitic on stems and other parts of cultivated or wild plants. They are leafless.

Other Information

  • This plant has two types of seed surfaces.
  • It is a rootless plant.

Further Information

  • USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
  • Discover Life's page on Cuscuta indecora
  • invasive.org