372 THE CONVOLVULUS FAMILY. 



II. DODDER. CUSCUTA. 



Annual, parasitical, leafless herbs, with twining thread-like stems, attach- 

 ing themselves to the plants on which they grow by minute tubercles ; the 

 small, nearly globular flowers in lateral heads or clusters. Calyx coloured 

 like the corolla, deeply 4- or 5-cleft. Corolla with a broad tube, and 4 or 

 5 usually spreading lobes, and as many smaU scales mside the tube. Styles 

 2, distinct from the base, or, in some exotic species, united to near the top. 

 Capsule globular, with 4 seeds in 2 cells. 



A genus widely spread over tlie globe, comprising a considerable number 

 of species, and still more numerous varieties, remarkable as showing great 

 general similarity of aspect, but much diversity in minute characters de- 

 rived chiefly from the size and form of the coroUa and of the scales, the 

 constancy of which has not yet been satisfactorily ascertained. 



CoroUa more than a line in diameter, with short, broad lobes, and incon- 

 spicuous, appressed scales. 

 Calyx shorter than the corolla-tube, which is not much swollen when 



first flowering 1. Greater D, 



Calyi as long as the globular corolla-tube, plant growing on Plai 



only 2. Flax D. 



Corolla usually less than a line in diameter, with pointed, speading lobes ; 



the scales prominent, and nearly closing the tube 3. Letser D, 



1. Greater Dodder. Cuscuta europsea, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 378.) 



The whole plant is of a pale greenish-yellow, tending more or less to 

 redden in many situations. Plowers in sessile, globular clusters, 4 or 5 

 lines in diameter ; each flower a Uttle more than 1 line in diameter, sessile 

 or borne on an exceedingly short pedicel. Sepals broad and rounded. Tube 

 of the corolla at first broadly cylindrical, longer than the calyx, with broad 

 and short lobes, and very minute, scarcely perceptible scales inside. Styles 

 and stamens usually enclosed in the tube. As the capsule enlarges, the 

 tube of the coroUa becomes nearly globular. 



Parasitic on a great variety of plants, more especially on herbaceous 

 stems, in Europe and the temperate parts of Asia. Not very abundant in 

 England, and not recorded with certainty either from Ireland or Scotland. 

 Fl. summer. 



2. Flax Dodder. Cuscuta Epilinum, Weihe. 



(Eng. Bot. Suppl. t. 2850.) 



Differs slightly from the greater D. in its flowers rather larger and more 

 succulent but fewer in number, the calyx rather longer, the coroUa-tube 

 globular even when young, and the lobes stiU shorter in proportion. 



Said to grow exclusively on flax, in Europe and Russian Asia, and in- 

 troduced into Britain with the cultivation of that plant. Fl. summer. 



3. Iiesser Dodder. Cuscuta Epithymuiu, Linn. 

 (C europaa, Eug. Bot. t. 55. C. Trifolii, Bab. Man.) 

 The thread-like stems are much finer than in the greater D. ; the heads 

 of flowers small, globular, and very compact. Flowers often considerably I 

 less than a line in diameter, and very seldom attaining that size ; the calyx 

 smaller in proportion ; the lobes of the corolla pointed, spreading, and about 

 as long as the tuba ; the scales of the inside more prominent, almost closing 



