SafePlants

Salt Marsh Dodder (Cuscuta salina)

Cuscuta salina, commonly known as salt marsh dodder or goldenthread, is a fascinating parasitic plant found in specific environments.

Considerations for Pets

• The plant is described as a tangle of hair-like stems, which may be of interest to pets.

Considerations for Children

• The plant is noted for its bright orange color, which might attract children's attention.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Cuscuta salina Engelm.
• Common Names: Salt marsh dodder, Saltmarsh dodder, Goldenthread
• Family: Convolvulaceae (Dodder or Morning glory family)

Distribution and Habitat

• Cuscuta salina is native to western North America.
• It thrives in seasonal alkaline or salt marsh environments.
• Specific locations mentioned include:
  • California
  • Elkhorn Slough
  • Palo Alto marsh
  • Carpinteria Salt Marsh
  • Coastal areas from southern British Columbia to Baja California
  • Tomales Bay

Ecological Role

• Cuscuta salina is a parasitic plant, meaning it obtains nutrients from a host plant.
• It is a leafless holoparasite, primarily found in salt marshes but also inland salt flats.
• It is noted as suffocating the other plants it wraps with its orange threads.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

• Salt marsh dodder grows as a leafless, rootless vine.
• It typically appears yellow or orange, although it can also be pink or white.
• It lacks chlorophyll and cannot photosynthesize, relying entirely on its host for nutrients and water.
• It attaches to various plants, including Pickleweed or Virginia Glasswort (Salicornia virginica) and other salt marsh plants.

Quirky Facts

• From a distance, a patch of Cuscuta salina can look like someone splashed a can of bright orange paint onto the salt marsh vegetation.
• Central portions of a Saltmarsh Dodder patch can sometimes die back, resulting in a unique appearance.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• It parasitizes several species of salt marsh plants.
• Wasps have been observed on saltmarsh dodder.

Further Information

• Katie Griffith at the University of California, Santa Cruz, has studied the distribution and abundance of Cuscuta salina at Elkhorn Slough.
• Images of seeds are available at USDA, taken by D. Walters and C. Southwick.