golden dodder

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• field dodder
• Yellow Dodder
• common dodder
• dodder
• golden dodder
• prairie dodder
• western field dodder
• love-vine

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Cuscuta arvensis var. capsici
• Cuscuta gymnocarpa subsp. deflexa
• Cuscuta kamelorum
• Grammica campestris
• Cuscuta arvensis var. calycina
• Cuscuta pentagona var. calycina
• Cuscuta pentagona var. subulata

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Solanales, it is classified under the family Convolvulaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Cuscuta, specifically as the species Cuscuta campestris.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical presence across several key regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, its distribution includes the territories of Great Britain and Ireland. Moving toward Middle Europe, the species can be found growing within the borders of Austria. It also maintains a presence in Belgium, further extending its range across the central part of the continent. Finally, its distribution reaches into the region of Czechia-Slovakia, completing this specific geographical pattern.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Cuscuta campesestris is characterized by its adaptability to diverse environments, ranging from sea level up to an elevation of 2125 m AMSL. It is frequently found colonizing anthropogenic landscapes, particularly within crop fields, where it thrives by utilizing available vegetation as a substrate. This broad elevational range allows the species to inhabit various climatic zones, provided there is a sufficient density of host plants to support its parasitic lifestyle.

Elevational range max:

2125 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

crop fields

Life history

The life history of Cuscuta campestris is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning it completes its entire developmental process from germination to seed production within a single growing season. As a therophyte, the plant survives the unfavorable seasons primarily in the form of seeds, which remain dormant in the soil until environmental conditions become suitable for growth. Its morphological existence is strictly deciduous, shedding its specialized twining stems once the reproductive cycle is complete or when environmental stress occurs. This rapid, seasonal strategy allows the organism to efficiently exploit host resources during its brief period of active growth before returning to a seed state.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Cuscuta campestris is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb that functions as an obligatory parasite. It exhibits a scandent shoot orientation, spreading through a vine-like habit that relies on host plants rather than being self-supporting or independent. The plant is primarily terrestrial in its ecological placement, lacking epiphytic or aquatic tendencies. Its physical dimensions are relatively small, with a minimum plant height of 0.01 m and a maximum height reaching 0.6 m. The shoots are slender and flexible, typically measuring a minimum length of 20 cm and reaching a maximum length of up to 50 cm.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

vine

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

obligatory

Plant height max:

0.6 m

Plant height min:

0.01 m

Shoot length max:

50 cm

Shoot length min:

20 cm

Shoot orientation :

scandent

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Cuscuta campestris is characterized by a specialized parasitic mechanism rather than a carnivorous one, as it is classified as non-carnivorous. Instead of capturing prey, it relies on haustoria to extract nutrients and water from host plants. Morphologically, its vegetative structure is highly reduced; the leaves are scale-like in form, serving a minimal role in photosynthesis compared to the host. These scale-like leaves are quite small, with a maximum leaf length of 1.5 cm and a maximum leaf width of 1.5 cm, reflecting the plant's evolutionary shift away from independent autotrophic processes toward a total dependence on its host's vascular system.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf form :

scale-like

Leaf length max:

1.5 cm

Leaf width max:

1.5 cm

Reproduction

The reproduction of Cuscuta campestris is primarily driven by sexual processes, as asexual reproduction is absent in this species. The flowering period typically occurs between July and August, featuring small white flowers that range in width from a minimum of 0.15 cm to a maximum of 0.3 cm. These flowers rely on biotic pollination syndromes, specifically utilizing insects to facilitate fertilization, though self-fertilization is also present. Following successful pollination, the plant develops a capsule-type fruit that is characterized as dehiscence-based. These capsules vary in size, with a fruit length ranging from 0.25 cm to 0.35 cm (averaging 0.3 cm) and a width spanning from 0.22 cm to 0.42 cm. Each fruit typically contains between 1 and 10 seeds. The seeds themselves are uniform in length at approximately 1.5 mm and possess a mean mass of 0.0008095 g, with individual seed masses ranging from a minimum of 0.00067 g to a maximum of 0.00113 g. Once the fruit matures and dehisces, the seeds are distributed via an anemochorous dispersal syndrome, utilizing wind for movement.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flower colour :

white

Flower width max:

0.3 cm

Flower width min:

0.15 cm

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit length max:

0.35 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.3 cm

Fruit length min:

0.25 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Fruit width max:

0.42 cm

Fruit width min:

0.22 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Seed length mean:

1.5 mm

Seed mass max:

0.00113 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0008095 g

Seed mass min:

0.00067 g

Seeds_per_fruit :

1-10

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Cuscuta campestris has 12 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include ABA, Astragalin, CHLOROGENIC ACID, Dicaffeoylquinic acid, Flavonoids.

ABA

1. Physiology and molecular biology of plants : an international journal of functional plant biology

Astragalin

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

CHLOROGENIC ACID

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Dicaffeoylquinic acid

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Flavonoids

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Hyperoside

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Isoquercitrin

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Kaempferol-3-O-galactoside

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Phytol

1. Physiology and molecular biology of plants : an international journal of functional plant biology

Quercetin 3-O-glucoside

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Conditions

Cuscuta campestris has 6 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Alzheimer's disease, Obsessive-compulsive disorder, atopic dermatitis, cancer, cognitive dysfunction.

Alzheimer's disease

1. Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part A

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Atopic dermatitis

1. Journal of evidence-based complementary & alternative medicine

Cancer

1. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine

Cognitive dysfunction

1. Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part A

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Cuscuta campestris has 1 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include extract.

Extract

1. Physiology and molecular biology of plants : an international journal of functional plant biology