CUSCUTACEAE 967 



but soon decaying above the root, thence attached to host-plants by suckers, 

 dextrorsely twining. Leaves reduced to minute alternate scales. Flowers per- 

 fect, in variously disposed cymes. Calyx inferior : sepals 5 or rarely 4, distinct 

 or partly united. Corolla regular : petals 5 or [rarely 4, partly united, imbri- 

 cated, accompanied by 4-5 alternating crenulate or appendaged scales, or these 

 obsolete. Stamens 5 or rarely 4, adnate to the throat of or near the sinuses of 

 the corolla above the scales. Filaments never elongated. Anthers 2-celled : 

 sacs opening lengthwise. Ovary 2-celled, seldom much longer than broad. 

 Styles 2, mostly distinct. Stigmas capitate. Ovules 2 in each cavity. Capsule 

 subglobose, depressed or slightly elongated, 2-celled, circumscissile or indehis- 

 cent, 1-4-seeded. Seeds globose or angular. Embryo curved or spiral in the 

 fleshy endosperm, Avith 1-4 minute scales at the apex. 



1. CUSCUTA L. 



Characters of the family. Doddek. Love Vine. 



Styles separate. 



Calyx of 4-5 distinct sepals, these subtended by imbricated bracts. 



Flowers pedicelled, in open cymes : bracts entire. 1. C. cuspidata. 



Flowers sessile, in dense clusters : bracts erose-serrulate. 

 Bracts few, short, erect : styles about as long as the ovary. 

 Bracts elongated, with recurved tips : styles much longer than the ovary. 

 Calyx of 4-5 partially united sepals, unaccompanied by bracts. 

 Corolla-lobes acute. 



Capsule seated in the persistent corolla. 



Calyx-lobes acute or acutish : scales rather broad, fringed all around. 

 Calyx-lobes obtuse : scales much reduced, often of 1-3 small processes. 

 Capsule capped with or enclosed by the persistent corolla. 

 Calyx-lobes erose-crenulate : scales shorter than the tube. 



Capsule enclosed by the corolla : scales broad, copiously fringed. 

 Capsule capped by the corolla : scales reduced to few irregular 

 processes. 

 Calyx-lobes entire : scales surpassing the corolla-tube. 

 Corolla-lobes obtuse. 



Scales shorter than the corolla-tube. 



Capsules spheroidal, each capped with the corolla. 

 Capsules ovoid or globose-ovoid, seated in the corollas. 

 Scales fully as long as the corolla-tube or surpassing it. 



Inflorescence not glandular : capsules longer than broad or subglobose. 

 Scales sparingly fringed above, widest near base : capsule partially 



enclosed by or seated in the persistent corolla. 

 Scales copiously fringed above, widest at the top : capsule capped 

 with the persistent corolla. 

 Inflorescence glandular : capsules broader than long. 

 Styles united nearly to the top. 



1. Cuscuta cuspidata Engelm. Foliage yellowish, little darker in age. Stems 

 slender ; branches often numerous, but not widely matted : flowers short-pedicelled, in 

 large branching cymes : calyx subtended by several imbricated bracts : sepals 5, distinct, 

 entire, shorter than the corolla-tube, as broad as long : corolla nearly salverform, about 

 3 mm. long ; lobes 5, oblong to triangular-lanceolate, acute or cuspidate, spreading barely 

 ^ as long as the tube ; scales oblong, fully 2 as long as the corolla-tube, fringed throughout 

 with short irregular processes : capsules subglobose, L5-2 mm. long, each capped with the 

 persistent corolla. 



On coarse herbs, Missouri to Nebraska, south to Texas. Summer and fall. 



2. Cuscuta compdcta J uss. Foliage yellowish white, deeper in age. Stems rather 

 stout ; branches often in wide mats when young : flowers sessile, crowded into dense 

 masses : calyx subtended by several ribbed imbricated bracts ; these rhombic-orbicular, 

 serrulate : sepals 5 or rarely 4, distinct, oval, obtuse, crenulate, about as broad as long : 

 corolla exserted, 4 mm. long, salverform ; tube cylindric ; lobes ovate or oblong, obtuse, 

 spreading, much shorter than the tube ; scales oblong, fully ^ the length of the corolla- 

 tube, fringed, mainly near the top, with numerous processes : capsules subglobose or ovoid- 

 globose, 3-3.5 mm. long, each enclosed by or capped with the rather persistent corolla. 



On shrubs, Ontario to Kansas, New York. Georgia and Texas. Summer and fall. 



3. Cuscuta paraddxa Raf . Foliage yellowish white, very slightly deeper at maturity. 

 Stems slender ; branches forming very dense spiral masses, closely investing the hosts : 

 flowers very numerous, crowded in dense confluent masses closely investing portions of the 

 host-plants : calyx sessile, subtended by several strongly ribbed imbricated serrulate 

 bracts : sepals 5, distinct, oblong, obtuse, serrulate, broader than the bracts but less strongly 

 ribbed : corolla exserted, 3 mm. long, salverform ; tube cylindric ; lobes oblong-lanceo- 

 late to ovate-triangular, ] the length of the tube, obtuse, spreading or recurved ; scales 



