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giant dodder
Scientific Name: Cuscuta reflexa
Family: Cuscutaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth: Forb/herb, Vine
Duration: Perennial
Other Names:
Giant Dodder: A Parasitic Plant
Giant dodder is a parasitic plant with a fascinating, albeit potentially problematic, existence. Known for its rapid growth and impact on other plants, it has garnered attention both for its ecological role and its traditional uses.
Considerations for Pets
- As a plant that can form dense mats, there is a danger of entanglement for smaller pets.
Considerations for Children
- As a plant that can form dense mats, there is a danger of entanglement for small children.
Scientific Name and Common Names
- Scientific Name: Cuscuta reflexa
- Common Names: Giant Dodder, Goldthread, Angel Hair
- Other Names: Amar bel (Hindi), Akashbel (Hindi), Uri sanamacha (Manipuri), Kolanirmuli (Oriya)
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Genus: Cuscuta
- Family: Formerly placed in Convolvulaceae, now often treated separately.
- The genus Cuscuta contains approximately 100-170 species.
- Symbol: CURE (USDA PLANTS Symbol)
- Group: Dicot
Distribution and Habitat
- Giant dodder is common in the Indian Subcontinent and native to Asia.
- It has been introduced to other regions, including Houston, Texas.
Ecological Role
- Giant dodder is a parasitic plant that can be invasive.
- It is known to attack and kill a variety of trees and landscape plants, posing a threat to ecosystems.
- The plant obtains nutrients by penetrating host plants with structures called haustoria, potentially degrading the host's cell walls in the process.
Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits
- Cuscuta species are typically yellow, orange, or red (rarely green).
- Giant dodder is a perennial vine.
- It is a parasitic plant, meaning it grows by attaching to and extracting nutrients from other plants.
Traditional Uses
- Giant dodder has been used in Ayurveda to combat hair loss.
- In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Dodder Seed (Tu Si Zi, derived from Cuscuta chinensis) is used for various purposes.
- Dodder seed is sometimes used as a remedy for skin aging and as an energy enhancer.
Interactions with Other Organisms
- Giant dodder is a parasitic plant that relies on other plants (hosts) for survival.
- Research has focused on the cell wall composition at the interaction sites between giant dodder and its hosts.
Quirky Facts
- Giant Dodder has been compared to "The Blob," referencing the insatiable nature of this parasitic plant.
Further Information
- WebMD provides patient medical information on dodder.
- The India Biodiversity Portal contains species data on giant dodder.
- Discover Life offers information on the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Cuscuta reflexa.
- USDA PLANTS database provides information using the symbol CURE.
- ResearchGate has publications on cell wall profiling of giant dodder.
- Dave's Garden is a community for sharing gardening tips and ideas.