Lauraceae
Cassytha

Cassytha filiformis L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 35 (1753)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tropics & Subtropics. It is a holoparasitic chamaephyte and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome. It is used as a poison and a medicine, has social uses and for food.

Descriptions

Distribution
Biogeografic region: Amazonia, Guiana Shield, Caribbean, Orinoquia, Pacific. Elevation range: 0–1500 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Caquetá, Guainía, Guaviare, Vaupés, Vichada.
Habit
Herb, Parasitic.
Ecology
Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, savanna, shrubland, native grassland, artificial - terrestrial.
Vernacular
Bejuco de rema
[UPFC]

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Trailing and twining herb up to several m long, young parts pubescent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers greenish or cream, 0.2–0.5 cm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit black, c. 0.5 cm long.
Distribution
N1; C1; S1–3 widespread in the Old World tropics.
Ecology
Altitude range 30–500 m.
Vernacular
Arjeeg (Somali).
[FSOM]

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular
bejuco de rema
[UNAL]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Vernacular
OLD MAN BERRY
Morphology General Habit
Twining parasitic herb with slender, elongate yellow or greenish stems, freely branched, up to 4 m long or more, sometimes matted
Morphology General Scales
Scales (reduced leaves) few, 1–2 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Spikes few- to several-flowered, 1–2 cm long; flowers white, ca. 2 mm long, the inner perianth segments ovate, larger than the outer
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit globose, white, 6 mm in diameter.
Distribution
Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, Cayman Brac. Pantropical.
Ecology
Indiscriminately parasitic on other vegetation.
[Cayman]

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution
Nativa en Colombia; Alt. 0 - 1500 m.; Amazonia, Guayana y Serranía de La Macarena, Llanura del Caribe, Orinoquia, Pacífico.
Morphology General Habit
Hierba, Parásita
Conservation
No Evaluada
[CPLC]

Uses

Use Food
Used for food.
Use Materials
Used as material.
Use Medicines
Medical uses.
Use Poisons
Poisons.
Use Social
Social uses.
[UPFC]

Common Names

English
Fish-net vine

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of the Cayman Islands

    • Flora of the Cayman Islands
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images

  • Neotropikey

    • Milliken, W., Klitgard, B. and Baracat, A. (2009 onwards), Neotropikey - Interactive key and information resources for flowering plants of the Neotropics.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Plants and People Africa

    • Common Names from Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com/
    • © Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Universidad Nacional de Colombia

    • ColPlantA database
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0