Genus i. 



DODDER FAMILY. 



49 



2. Cuscuta Epithymum Murr. Thyme Dod- 

 der. Lesser Lucerne or Clover Dodder. 

 Fig. 3443- 



Cuscuta Epithymum Murr. in L. Syst. Ed. 13, 140. 1774. 

 Cuscuta Trifolii Bab. Phytol. 1: 467. 1843. 



Stems filiform, red; flowers sessile in small dense 

 clusters, pinkish, about 1" long. Calyx variable, 

 4-5-lobed, more than one-half the length of the cylin- 

 dric corolla-tube, the lobes acute ; corolla 4-5-lobed, 

 the lobes erect, about one-half as long as the tube, 

 acute, its scales strongly incurved, crenulate nearly 

 or quite to the base; stigmas filiform; capsule cir- 

 cumscissile, capped by the withering corolla. 



Usually on clover, Maine and Ontario to South Da- 

 kota and Pennsylvania. Introduced from Europe, where 

 it occurs on thyme, clover and other low plants. Hail- 

 weed. Hairweed. July-Sept. 



Cuscuta europaea L., another Old World species, 

 with obtuse calyx-lobes and shorter styles, is recorded 

 from Maine. 



3. Cuscuta arvensis Beyrich. Field 

 Dodder. Love-vine. Fig. 3444. 



Cuscuta arvensis Beyrich ; Hook. Fl. Bor. Am. 2 : 

 77. As synonym. 1834. 



Plant pale yellow ; stems filiform, the flowers 

 nearly sessile in small clusters. Calyx broad, 

 S-lobed, the lobes broad, obtuse; corolla nearly 

 campanulate, 5-lobed, the lobes acute or acumi- 

 nate, as long as the tube, their tips reflexed, 

 its scales large, ovate, as long as or longer 

 than the tube, densely fringed all around with 

 short irregular processes; stamens not ex- 

 serted ; style shorter than the ovary ; stigmas 

 capitate ; capsule depressed-globose, indehis- 

 cent, the withering corolla and usually the 

 stamens persistent at its base. 



On various herbs and low shrubs, Massachusetts 

 to Manitoba, Florida, Texas, Mexico and Cali- 

 fornia. Also in the West Indies and South Amer- 

 ica. July- Aug. 



4. Cuscuta Polygonorum Engelm. Smart- 

 weed Dodder. Fig. 3445. 



Cuscuta Polygonorum Engelm. Am. Journ. Sci. 43 : 



342. pi. 6. f. 26-29. 1842. 

 C. chlorocarpa Engelm.; A. Gray. Man. 350. 1848. 



Plant orange-yellow ; stems slender but rather 

 coarse; flowers sessile or nearly so in dense clus- 

 ters. Calyx short, 4-5-lobed, the lobes ovate- 

 oblong, acute or acutish ; lobes of the corolla 4 

 or 5, triangular-ovate, acute, mostly as long as 

 the tube, the scales usually obsolete, wanting, or 

 consisting of only 2 or 3 slender processes on 

 each side of the attached lower portion of the 

 filament; filaments mostly slender; styles shorter 

 than the ovary ; stigmas capitate ; capsule globose, 

 the withering corolla persistent at its base. 



On Polygonum and other herbs, Pennsylvania and 

 Delaware to Minnesota, Wisconsin and Arkansas. 

 July-Sept. Has been referred to the South Amer- 

 ican C. obtusiflora H.B.K. 



