Cuscuta reflexa (dodder)
Index
- Pictures
- Identity
- Taxonomic Tree
- Description
- Distribution
- Distribution Table
- Risk of Introduction
- Hosts/Species Affected
- Host Plants and Other Plants Affected
- Growth Stages
- Biology and Ecology
- Notes on Natural Enemies
- Impact
- Uses List
- Similarities to Other Species/Conditions
- Prevention and Control
- References
- Distribution Maps
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Top of page| Picture | Title | Caption | Copyright |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flowers | Flowers of C. reflexa | ©Chris Parker/Bristol, UK | |
| C. reflexa smothering an unidentified shrub | ©Chris Parker/Bristol, UK |
Identity
Top of pagePreferred Scientific Name
- Cuscuta reflexa Roxb. (1798)
Preferred Common Name
- dodder
Other Scientific Names
- Cuscuta elatior Choisy (1841)
- Cuscuta hookeri Sweet (1826)
- Cuscuta macrantha Don. (1837)
- Cuscuta megalantha Steudel (1840)
- Cuscuta verrucosa Sweet (1823)
International Common Names
- French: cuscute; cuscute grosse
EPPO code
- CVCRE (Cuscuta reflexa)
Taxonomic Tree
Top of page- Domain: Eukaryota
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Phylum: Spermatophyta
- Subphylum: Angiospermae
- Class: Dicotyledonae
- Order: Solanales
- Family: Cuscutaceae
- Genus: Cuscuta
- Species: Cuscuta reflexa
Description
Top of page C. reflexa has a similar morphology to Cuscuta campestris but is more robust, with a vine 1-2 mm thick, yellow or reddish, sometimes greenish. The flowers are also much longer, up to 10 mm long, white or pinkish with 5 obtuse lobes, much shorter than the lobes, in loose clusters. The capsule is elongated, conical, with a pair of simple stigmas on a very short single style. The seeds are large, 3-3.5 mm long.Distribution
Top of page The distribution data provided on the map are incomplete, but C. reflexa is mainly confined to tropical Asia.Distribution Table
Top of pageThe distribution in this summary table is based on all the information available. When several references are cited, they may give conflicting information on the status. Further details may be available for individual references in the Distribution Table Details section which can be selected by going to Generate Report.
Last updated: 10 Jan 2020Risk of Introduction
Top of page Cuscuta species are quarantine pests in many countries.Hosts/Species Affected
Top of page C. reflexa is a robust species occurring mainly on perennial tree and shrub hosts. Bhattarai et al. (1989) list 39 host species in 28 plant families in India.Host Plants and Other Plants Affected
Top of page| Plant name | Family | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Citrus medica (citron) | Rutaceae | Main |
| Coffea arabica (arabica coffee) | Rubiaceae | Main |
| Litchi chinensis (lichi) | Sapindaceae | Main |
| Prunus persica (peach) | Rosaceae | Main |
| Ziziphus mauritiana (jujube) | Rhamnaceae | Main |
Growth Stages
Top of page Flowering stage, Fruiting stage, Vegetative growing stageBiology and Ecology
Top of page The biology of C. reflexa is largely comparable to that of Cuscuta campestris, but it is tropical in distribution, allowing it to behave as a typical perennial, persisting on its woody hosts for years. It has rather more chlorophyll than C. campestris giving it a greenish tinge, especially in young stages before it is attached to a host. It also differs in requiring short days for flowering.Notes on Natural Enemies
Top of page Natural enemies of Cuscuta spp., including C. reflexa, are reviewed by CAB International (1987).Impact
Top of page C. reflexa is less widespread than Cuscuta campestris, but is capable of serious crop damage where it does occur. It is classified as a 'principal' or 'serious' weed in Afghanistan, Nepal, India and Pakistan (Holm et al., 1979).Similarities to Other Species/Conditions
Top of page C. reflexa is distinguished from Cuscuta campestris and many other species by having only a single style, and from other weedy species with this character by the style being shorter than the stigmas. Cuscuta monogyna, C. lupuliformis and C. japonica have styles longer than the stigmas, and also have smaller flowers less than 5 mm long (see Parker and Riches, 1993 for descriptions and key).Cuscuta monogyna, with style and stigmas of about equal length, is a species of the Mediterranean and Middle East, eastwards to Afghanistan, which occurs mainly on woody shrub and tree hosts but also on some herbaceous plants. It is known to be troublesome in Iran, Pakistan, the former USSR, Afghanistan, Iraq, Jordan, Israel and Cyprus, on fruit trees including citrus and olive, and on vegetables including onion (Parker and Riches, 1993).
C. lupuliformis, with style about twice as long as the stigmas, is a European species, also occurring in India, Afghanistan and Brazil, which mainly attacks only tree and shrub species (Parker and Riches, 1993).
C. japonica, with style distinctly longer than the stigmas, occurs in East Asia, and is locally important in China and Japan on both woody and herbaceous hosts including potato and aubergine, but not tomato (Parker and Riches, 1993).
Prevention and Control
Top of pageDue to the variable regulations around (de)registration of pesticides, your national list of registered pesticides or relevant authority should be consulted to determine which products are legally allowed for use in your country when considering chemical control. Pesticides should always be used in a lawful manner, consistent with the product's label.
See data sheet on Cuscuta campestris.References
Top of pageMishra B, Prasad SM, 1988. Natural hosts of Cuscuta reflexa. Indian Phytopathology, 41(1):154-155
Parker C, 1992. Weeds of Bhutan. Weeds of Bhutan., vi + 236 pp.
Yuncker TG, 1932. The genus Cuscuta. Memoirs of the Torrey Botanical Club, 18:113-331.
Distribution References
CABI, Undated. Compendium record. Wallingford, UK: CABI
CABI, Undated a. CABI Compendium: Status as determined by CABI editor. Wallingford, UK: CABI
Parker C, 1992. Weeds of Bhutan. Thimphu, Bhutan: National Plant Protection Centre. vi + 236 pp.
Distribution Maps
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