LEGUMINOUS CROPS. 



21 



The twining stem of dodder is of a yellowish colour, 

 containing (in the spring and summer) clusters of pinkish, 

 funnel-shaped flowers, and is provided with suckers (Kg. 

 5 B) which are used for extracting nourishment from the 

 host upon which it lives. The seeds of dodder have a 

 rough surface, and are smaller than those of the clover 

 plant. The seeds of both clover and dodder are of a 

 brown colour, but the former have a smooth surface. 



®1 

 s 



Fig. 5. — Cloveb Doddek {Ciiscuta trifolii). 



A. Dodder entwined round clover. 



B. Suckers. 



0. Clusters oi dodder flowers. 

 D. Seeds of dodder, x 2. 



When the dodder has settled upon the clover plants, it, 

 at first, grows at about the same rate as the host ; but 

 after a time the increase of its branches and suckers far 

 exceeds the growth of the clover. 



The suckers pierce through the cellular tissues to the 

 central pith of the clover stems ; and there the parasite 

 is nourished at the expense of the host. "The dodder 

 completely drains out the elaborated juices of the clover, 

 and kills it by exhaustion." 



