Cuscuta campestris Yunck.

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

Morphology Stem

Stems up to 1.2 mm in diam., orange, smooth or tuberculate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences branched and compact, generally 2–5-flowered

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers (4–)5-merous, 1.6–3 mm long, sessile or on up to 3 mm long pedicel

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx cup-shaped, ± as long as the corolla-tube, smooth, whitish or pellucid; lobes 0.7–1.3 x 0.8–1.7 mm, broadly ovate, blunt, overlapping at the base, erect; tube up to 0.8 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla urn-shaped, smooth, whitish or pellucid, persistent in fruit; lobes 0.9–1.5 x 0.8–1.3 mm, ovate-triangular or triangular, mucronate, smooth or somewhat papillate at the tip; tube up to 1.5 mm long; scales up to 1.9 mm long, well developed and longer than the corolla tube, with numerous club-shaped processes

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 0.8–1.2 mm long; anthers 0.4–0.6 mm long, ovoid, yellowish or greenish; filaments 0.4–0.7 mm long, subulate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Styles 0.5–1 mm long, unequal, terete; stigmas approximately 0.3 mm in diam., subglobose, orange or greenish

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a subglobose capsule up to 4.2 mm in diam., indehiscent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds subglobose or ovoid, up to 1.7 mm long.

Distribution

S2 native in southern USA, naturalised throughout the world

Note

An economically important parasitic weed. First record for Somalia. This species belongs to C. subgenus Grammica, characterized by free styles and globose or capitate stigmas. Other species of this subgenus are known from adjacent countries and could be found also in Somalia.

Convolvulaceae, H. Heine. Flora of West Tropical Africa 2. 1963

Morphology General Habit

A parasite like the last (Cuscuta australis)

Ecology

Very common in some parts of tropical Africa and a serious pest on cultivated plants.

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

Colombia

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

Morphology General Habit

Stems yellowish (drying pale brownish straw-colour), slender, mostly 0.1–0.3 mm. in diameter.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers small, about 1.5 mm. long and broad, and only 2.5 mm. when the capsule is mature, greenish-yellow, in rather compact cymose clusters; pedicels mostly shorter than the flowers.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx-lobes obtuse or somewhat acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla-lobes triangular, acute, equalling the corolla-tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens shorter than the lobes; filaments about 1 mm. long.

Morphology General Scales

Scales large, adnate only at the base, much fringed apically and almost or quite reaching the anthers.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Styles about 1 mm. long, slender.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule depressed-globose, not splitting at the base, drying pale brownish straw-colour; intrastylar opening small, ± 0.75 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ± 1 mm. long.

Habitat

Parasitic on Clover ( Trifolium) and a variety of other plants, sometimes spreading to forest undergrowth; 1000–2000 m.

Distribution

an American species widely naturalized in the Old World. K3 K4 K6 T2 U4

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

Morphology General Habit

Stems slender, up to 0.3 mm. in diam.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences very dense cymose globose clusters.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers up to 2 mm. long and broad, greenish-yellow, often glandular; pedicels usually shorter than the flowers.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx about enclosing the corolla tube, broadly campanulate; lobes ovate to circular or broadly triangular, usually obtuse to rounded, mostly overlapping when young.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla campanulate; lobes triangular, acute, equalling the corolla tube, spreading with often inflexed apices.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens shorter than corolla lobes; filaments longer than, or about equalling, the anthers.

Morphology General Scales

Scales large, adnate only at base, much-fringed apically and almost or quite reaching the anthers.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary globose; styles slender, becoming thicker and conspicuous in fruit.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule usually depressed-globose with a depression around the style bases, not splitting at the base, with the intrastylar opening small.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ovate, about 1 mm. long, flattened on one side.