CUSCUTA CUSPIDATA Engelm.

Cuspidate Dodder

 

 

FAMILY: Cuscutaceae

 

HABIT: Parasitic annual herb, flowers five-merous; flowering late August to early October.

 

SIMILAR SPECIES: Differs from similar dodders by having a distinct bract subtending each pediceled flower.

                 

TOTAL RANGE: Nw. Ohio, Ind. and Wisconsin to N.D., Utah and Texas.

 

STATE RANGE: Post-1980 records from Mercer and Paulding counties.

 

STATE STATUS: Added-2002; Endangered-2004.

 

HABITAT: Growing on Aster spp. and other hosts in openings along creeks and streams.

 

HAZARDS: Habitat loss.

 

RECOVERY POTENTIAL: Poor; western limit of its range. This species was likely never frequent in Ohio.

 

INVENTORY GUIDELINES: Collect mature flowering and fruiting material.

 

COMMENTS: Dodders are very difficult group. Detailed field notes on habit are important for later identification such as noting the host plant(s) and flower and/or fruit characters.

 

SELECTED REFERENCES:

                 

Voss, E. G.  1996. Michigan Flora Part III. Dicots concluded. Cranbrook Institute of Science & U. of Michigan Herbarium, Ann Arbor. 622 p.

 

Yuncker, T. G. 1921. Revision of the North American and West Indian Species of Cuscuta. Illinois Biological Monographs 6:91-231.

 

 

Division of Natural Areas and Preserves

Ohio Department of Natural Resources

 

Created 03/04 Richard Gardner