Cuscuta australis R.Br.

Cuscutaceae, Maria Leonor Gonçalves. Flora Zambesiaca 8:1. 1987

Morphology General Habit

Stems medium thick up to 0·5 mm. in diam.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences rather loose to dense cymose and subglobose clusters.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 2–3 mm. long and broad, accrescent in fruit, often somewhat glandular, subsessile, often obpyriform in fruit.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx about as long as the corolla tube; lobes broad, ovate-circular, obtuse, not overlapping.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla campanulate; lobes rounded, obtuse or somewhat triangular but blunt, shorter than or as long as the tube, erect to somewhat spreading.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens shorter than the corolla lobes; filaments usually very short and stout, more or less subulate; anthers broadly elliptic to subcircular.

Morphology General Scales

Scales shorter than the tube, reaching nearly to the base of the filaments, much fringed apically, not bifid or variously bifid sometimes consisting of one fringed lobe on either side of the area of the corolla tube below the filaments.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary globose; styles stout, shorter than the ovary, divergent and intrastylar aperture large.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule globose or somewhat obpyriform, not splitting at base; intrastylar opening 1–1·5 mm. long, often almost circular.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ellipsoid to ovoid up to 1·5 mm. long.

Convolvulaceae, B. Verdcourt (East African Herbarium). Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1963

Morphology General Habit

Stems fairly slender, up to 0.5 mm. in diameter.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers about 2 mm. long and broad (up to 3 mm. in fruit), arranged in rather loose to compact cymose clusters; pedicels shorter than the flowers.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx-lobes rounded, obtuse.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla-lobes rounded, obtuse or somewhat triangular but blunt.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens short up to 1 mm. long; filaments usually very short.

Morphology General Scales

Scales reaching nearly to the base of the filaments, much fringed apically, not bifid, slightly bifid or completely bifid and then consisting of one fringed lobe on either side of the areas of the corolla-tube below the filaments.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Styles about 0.5–1 mm. long, divergent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule globose, not splitting at base, drying a reddish-brown colour; intrastylar opening 1–1.5 mm. long, often almost circular.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds about 1.25 mm. long.

Habitat

In East Africa parasitic on swamp vegetation, e.g. Hydrocotyle and Polygonum, also on Glinus; 960–2100 m.

Distribution

widespread from the Sudan Republic to central and West Africathe TransvaalMadagascarthroughout Old World from southern Europe to Japan and Australia. K4 T2 T3 T4 T5 U1 U2 U4