96 AtPALPA 



badly infested fields of mixed alfalfa and red clovet 

 have failed to show the infestation of clover by 

 this species of dodder. This particular dodder pro- 

 duces a mass of smooth, reddish-yellow, wiry stems, 

 which encircle the alfalfa stems, where the latter are 



ft B 



FIG. 15 — DODDER (4) PLANT AND (,B) FLOWER 



pierced by small suckers from the stems of the dodder. 

 These serve to draw the nourishment from the alfalfa, 

 resulting in a short, sickly growth. The alfalfa usu- 

 ally survives, but produces only half a crop or less. 

 With the advance of summer, globular clusters of 

 flowers the size of a pea, light-colored and tinged with 

 purple, are produced along the leafless stems of the 

 dodder.' Each flower develops from one to four seeds, 



