A CURIOUS ABNORMALITY IN CUSCUTA 



CUSPIDATA 



By T. G. YuNKER. 



RECENTLY the writer had the privilege of examining a 

 number of specimens of Cu scuta that Mr. C. C. Deam, 

 State Forester for the State of Indiana had collected in that 

 state during the summer of 1920. Among the specimens was a 

 collection of Ciisciita ciis/vdafd luigl. which Mr. Deam states 

 was found about two miles south of New Hormony, Posey 

 County. The presence of this species as far east as Indiana is 

 in itself an interesting fact, the writer knowing of only one 

 other specimen liaving been found in the state. This specimen, 

 however, shows an interesting teratological condition that will 

 bear rejjorting upon, it is believed, inasmuch as there is no rec- 

 ord, so far as known, of this condition occurring in any species 

 of Cuscuta. 



Upon first observation the specimen was seen to be a 



Cuscuta but it showed no resemblance to anything ever seen 

 before by the writer. All of the flowers had apparently be- 

 come spikelets made up of bracts. Closer observation revealed 

 a few normal flowers of Cuscuta cuspidata and also some 

 which showed a transition from the normal flower to the com- 

 plete si)ikelet formati(m. Had it not been for the presence 

 of some normal flowers in the specimen exact determination 

 of the species would have been difficult. The inflorescence 

 appeared about normal for the species with the sjjikelets 

 occurring in the place of flowers. The sjiikelets were of 

 lengths \;irving from about a (juarter of an inch to li;df an 



