Family: Convolvulaceae
Cuscuta
Citation:
L., Sp. Pl. 124 (1753).
Derivation: Italian and Neo-Lafin cuscuta, from Arabic kushuta, dodder.
Synonymy: Not Applicable Common name: Dodders.
Description:
Mainly annual parasites with twining yellow, brown or reddish leafless stems.
Inflorescence axillary, bracteate, flowers 4- or 5- rarely 3-merous in simple or compound cymose clusters; sepals united at the base (free in some non-Australian species); corolla tubular or campanulate, lobes imbricate in the bud, glabrous; stamens inserted at the throat and alternating with the corolla lobes; filaments narrowly triangular, with fimbriate infrastaminal scales; pollen smooth; ovary glabrous, 2-celled, with 2 ovules per cell; styles 2, free (united in some extra-Australian species), with capitate or elongate stigmas.
Capsule subglobular to ovoid, indehiscent or dehiscing from the base; seeds 4, granular.
Distribution:
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Cosmopolitan genus of about 170 species, 5 species native to and 7 naturalised in Australia.
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Biology:
No text
Key to Species:
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2. Flowers in dense globular clusters; pedicels less than 2.5 mm long |
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3. Styles absent or almost so; corolla mainly 3- or 4-lobed |
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C. victoriana 6. |
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3. Styles c. 1 mm long; corolla mainly 5-lobed |
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C. campestris 1. |
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2. Flowers in loose few-flowered clusters; pedicels 3-6 mm long |
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4. Calyx as long as corolla tube, corolla lobes obtuse as long as or longer than the tube |
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C. tasmanica 5. |
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4. Calyx shorter than corolla tube, corolla lobes acuie, shorter than the tube |
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C. suaveolens 4. |
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C. epithymum 2. |
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C. planiflora 3. |
Author:
Not yet available
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