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A SPECIES OF CUSCUTA NOT HITHERTO REPORTED FROM 
INDIANA. 
T. G. YuUNCKER, DePauw University. 
At the meeting of this Academy last year I presented a paper on the 
species of Cuscuta occurring in Indiana. Included in that report were seven 
native species (C. glomerata; C. compacta; C. Cephalanthi; C. Coryli; C. 
polygonorum; C. pentagona and C. Gronovii) that were known to occur in 
the state and two foreign species (C. Epithymwm and C. Epilinwm) which 
are probably in the state although not seen by the writer. 
Since that time I have received two collections from different counties 
of another species, C. cuspidata Englm., which has, so far as the writer 
knows, never been collected before in Indiana. One of the specimens was 
collected by Mr. W. A. Hunter, president of the Vigo County Bee Keepers’ 
Association, who writes as follows regarding it: 
“T only observed a small patch near my apiary, about two miles south- 
west of Prairieton (Vigo Co.), Indiana; less than one-half mile from the 
Wabash river, which is the state line between Indiana and Illinois. This 
patch was in the river bottoms, along the fence row between two corn 
fields. It was quite plentiful for a few rods along the fence row...... The 
honey bees were working on the flowers, as well as the wild bees and other 
insects. They seemed to be very active when the flowers were in full 
bloom.” 
The other specimen was recently sent to me by Mr. C. C. Deam who 
collected it in a “low field along the Wabash River about 40 rods south of 
where the wagon road comes to the river from the east and just below the 
old dam, or about two miles south of New Harmony, Posey Co.” 
Cuscuta cuspidata is typically found in the prairie region from the Mis- 
sissippi river westward to the mountains and southward to Louisiana and 
Texas. Until the finding of these specimens in Indiana the farthest east 
that this species had been found of which we have any authentic record 
was in St. Clair County, Illinois where it has been collected several times. 
This species belongs to the group of dodders characterized by the possession 
of sepal-like bracts closely subtending the individual flowers. Only four 
species belonging to this group are found in the United States three of 
which (C. glomerata; C. compacta and C. cuspidata) are now known to 
oceur in Indiana. C. cuspidata is differentiated from C. glomerata and C. 
compacta by its looser inflorescence and more or less cuspidate or mucronate, 
infrequently obtuse, sepals and bracts. Also, there are ordinarily but one to 
three bracts about each flower whereas in the other two species the num- 
ber of bracts is usually greater. 
C. cuspidata seems to prefer species of Compositae for hosts, the two 
specimens sent in being on Ambrosia. It has been found infrequently para- 
sitizing leguminous plants, usually alfalfa, but it is not believed that it 
will ever become a pest in Indiana. 
