No images found for this plant ID: 13005.
Ensure images are uploaded to the Media Library and tagged with "13005" in the "plant_image_tag" taxonomy.
mountain dodder
Scientific Name: Cuscuta suksdorfii var. subpedicellata
Family: Cuscutaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth: Vine, Forb/herb
Duration: Perennial
Other Names:
Cuscuta suksdorfii - Mountain Dodder
Cuscuta suksdorfii, commonly known as Mountain Dodder, is a fascinating parasitic plant belonging to the dodder family. This plant is a vine.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Cuscuta suksdorfii Yunck.
- Rank: Variety (Cuscuta suksdorfii Yunck. var. suksdorfii and Cuscuta suksdorfiiYuncker var. subpedicellataYuncker)
- Common Name: Mountain Dodder
- Family: Cuscutaceae (Dodder Family)
Distribution and Habitat
- Cuscuta suksdorfii can be found at elevations ranging from 0 to 2,780 meters.
- It is found in various habitats including coastal, inland, mountain, and desert regions.
- Specific locations mentioned include the Santa Rita Mountains and generally in Arizona (all dodder species in Arizona are native).
Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits
- Mountain Dodder is a perennial vine that exhibits a parasitic growth habit.
- It is described as a rootless obligate stem holoparasite, lacking chlorophyll. It extracts water, nutrients, and carbon from its host.
- Stems are slender and pale yellowish.
Ecological Role
- Dodder is a parasitic vine.
- It can be found hosting on other plants, such as Virginia Mountain Mint.
Interactions with Other Organisms
- Dodder seeds are carried by wind, water, birds, mammals, and humans.