754 FLORA 



Family 2. CUSCUTACEAE Dumort. 



Dodder Family. 



White, red or yellow slender parasites, dextrorsely twining, the 

 leaves reduced to minute alternate scales. Calyx inferior, 5-lobed or 

 5-Darted (rarely 4-lobed or 4-parted), or of 5 distinct sepals. Corolla 

 5-lobed (rarely 4-lobed), the tube bearing as many fimbriate or crenulate 

 scales as there are lobes and alternate with them, or these sometimes 

 obsolete. Stamens as many as the corolla-lobes, inserted in the throat 

 or sinuses above the scales ; anthers short, ovate or oval, obtuse, 2-celled, 

 the sacs longitudinally dehiscent. Ovary, 2-celled ; ovules 2 in each 

 cavity; styles 2, terminal, separate, or rarely united below; stigmas 

 linear or capitate. Capsule globose or ovoid, circumscissile, irregularly 

 bursting or indehiscent, 1-4 seeded. Seeds glabrous; embryo linear, 

 terete, curved or spiral, its apex bearing 1-4 minute alternate scales, 

 endosperm fleshy ; cotyledons none. 



1. cuscuta L. 



Characters of the family. The filiform twining stems are parasitic on herbs 

 and shrubs by numerous minute suckers. The seeds germinate in the soil and the 

 plantlet attaches itself to its host, its root and lower portion soon perishing. The 

 subsequent nutrition of the parasite is apparently wholly through its suckers. 

 Indications of a small amount of green coloring matter, possibly chlorophyll, have 

 been observed in some species. [Name from the Arabic] About 100 species, of 

 wide distribution. Besides the following, some 15 others occur in the southern 

 and western parts of N. Am. 



* Corolla-scales crenulate ; stigmas slender ; capsule circumscissile. 

 Scales crenulate above, not incurved. 1. c. Epilinum. 



Scales crenulate all around, strongly incurved. 2. C. Epithymunt. 



* * Corolla-scales fringed ; stigmas capitate ; capsule indehiscent. 

 Sepals united below into a gamosepalous calyx. 



Flowers very nearly sessile ; corolla persistent at the base of the capsule. 



Corolla-scales ovate, fringed all around; calyx- lobes obtuse. 3. C. arvensis. 

 Corolla-scales abortive, or of a few processes; calyx-lobes acutish. 



4. C. Polygonorum, 

 Flowers distinctly pedicelled; corolla enclosing or capping the capsule, or at length 



deciduous. 



Tips of the corolla-lobes incurved or inflexed. 



Scales ovate, fringed all around; capsule enclosed by the corolla. 



5. C. in decor a. 

 Scales abortive, or of a few slender processes; corolla capping the capsule. 



6. C. Coryli, 

 Corolla-lobes spreading or recurved. 



Scales small, irregularly fringed; capsule depressed-globose. 



7. C. Cephalanthi. 

 Scales long, fringed mainly above; capsule pointed. 



Corolla 3 mm. long; capsule globose, short-pointed or pointless. 



8. C. Gronovii. 

 Flowers 4-6 mm. long; capsule oval, long-pointed. 



9. C. rostrata. 

 Sepals separate, subtended by similar bracts. 



Flowers cymose, pedicelled; scales short: bracts entire. 10. C. cuspidata. 



Flowers closely sessile in dense clusters: bracts serrulate. 



Bracts few, broad, appressed: styles as long as the ovary. 11. C. compact a. 



Bracts numerous, narrow, their tips recurved; styles longer than the ovary. 



12. C. paradoxa, 



I. Cuscuta Epilinum Weihe. Flax Dodder. (T. F. f. 2956.) Stems 

 yellow or red; flowers se-sile in dense clusters, yellowish white, about 3 mm. long. 

 Calyx hemispheric. 5-lobed, the lobes ovate, acute; corolla short, becoming 

 urceolate, 5-lobed, the lobes ovate, acutish, spreading, its scales short, erect, less 



