116 DISEASES OF FIELD & GARDEN CROPS. [OH. 



nature. Most of the characters of the parasite that are 

 visible to the unaided eye are given in this sketch. 



Dodders are plants with yellowish or reddish leafless 

 threadlike stems, the leaves being represented by a few 

 small transparent scales. The small, usually pinkish, 

 bell-shaped, sometimes sweet-scented flowers, as in clover 

 dodder, are collected in little closely -packed heads or 



FIG. 47. CLOVER DODDER. 



Cuscuta Trifolii, Bab., growing on Clover. 



Twice the size of nature. 



clusters, as shown at A, B, Fig. 47. Each floral perianth 

 is usually divided into four or five segments. The flowers 

 are commonly succeeded (but not in the case of clover 

 dodder in this country) by four small seeds. The thread- 

 like stems are furnished with numerous very small 

 suckers, as at C, D, with which the parasite attaches itself 

 to its host. 



Dodders grow in all hot and temperate regions, and 



