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Cuscuta europaea
Also called European Dodder, Great Dodder
Cuscuta europaea, the greater dodder or European dodder, is a parasitic plant native to Europe, which belongs to the family Convolvulaceae, but was formerly classified in the family Cuscutaceae. It grows on Asteraceae, Cannabaceae, Amaranthaceae, Fabaceae, Urticaceae and other herbaceous plants, including garden plants such as Coleus and Impatiens, and more occasionally on Humulus. It is a notable parasite of lucerne (Medicago sativa). In many regions, including the Nepal Eastern Himalayas, this species are used as traditional medicine to treat hepatic diseases.
Cuscuta europaea can now be found in Japan and Algiers, as well as N Africa, W Asia and Europe. In India and Pakistan, the species occurs in the Himalayas, stretching from Kashmir to Sikkim on an altitude of 3,600 metres (11,800 ft).
Alfalfa dodder · Australian Dodder · Cuscuta babylonica · Chaparral dodder · Field dodder · Chinese Dodder · Compact dodder · Hazel dodder · Desert dodder · Flax dodder · Dodder · Rope dodder
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Cuscuta europaea by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
