334 



Dodder. 



[SEPT., 



Description of Dodder Seeds. 



The seeds of most species of dodder are very small — usually 

 much smaller than the seed of red clover — roundish, and angled. 

 It may be stated that they are generally smaller than the seeds 

 of the plants on which they are parasitic. Exception must be 

 made, however, in the case of large American dodder, C. Gronovii, 

 which is much larger than the seed of most species. The seeds 

 of C. trifolii are roundish, about i m.m. in diameter, dull in 

 appearance, and grey, brown, olive-brown, or yellowish-brown in 

 colour. In the case of C. epithymuin the seed is round -oval 

 in shape, and yellowish-brown in colour. 



Dodder seeds can soon be recognised with a little practice, 

 but cannot be certainly identified without the aid of a pocket- 

 lens, or a slightly enlarging microscope. 



Plants Attacked. 



The cultivated crops attacked by the various species are 

 numerous, the most important, however, being clover and 

 lucerne. 



C. trifolii. — This variety is that which is most commonly 

 found on clover and lucerne in Great Britain. According to 

 Frank, however, it has been found on v^etches, lupines, potatoes, 

 beet, carrots, fennel, aniseed ; not infrequently the wild species 

 C. epithymuin, of which C. trifolii is a variety, is found in 

 meadows and pastures, on heaths, &c. M. Marre cites also 

 Lotus corniculatus, lavender, and other labiates, St. John's wort, 

 species of heaths, Achillea inillifolium, and even (according to 

 Prillieux) such graminaceous plants as ryegrass, as having been 

 noticed attacked by this species. He observes, however, that 

 very probably in some cases the dodder is merely entwined 

 round the plants, and not attached to them by means of its 

 suckers. C. epithymuin is also found on furze, thyme, and ling. 



C. europaea. — In Britain, this species is found on vetches, 

 nettles, &c. In France, ic is recorded as living on hops, hemp, 

 vetches, potatoes, the vine, acacia, poplar, aconite, and other 

 plants. 



C. epilinum. — Known as flax dodder ; this species chiefly 

 attacks flax, but on the Continent it is found also on hemp and 

 camelina. 



