dodders

genus Cuscuta

Member of bindweed family (family Convolvulaceae)
dicots (class Magnoliopsida)
flowering plants (subphylum Angiospermae)

Except for old historical records and extremely rare examples that I don't expect to encounter, there are no other wild species of this genus in the bay area.
Caution: The key to distinguish these species is not complete.

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“Inside the corolla at the base of the stamens, there are fringed floral scales (requires at least a 10x hand lens to see).”

california dodder
Cuscuta californica

• corolla scales 0
• styles 1.2–3 mm
• anthers 0.7–1.1 mm, oblong to linear
• rare on coast and scattered inland

western dodder
Cuscuta occidentalis

• corolla scales 0
• styles 0.5–1(1.5) mm
• anthers 0.25–0.5 mm, wide-elliptic
• rare inland

salt flats dodder
Cuscuta salina

• corolla scales present
• flower 2.5–4.5 mm
• calyx and corolla lobes acute
• calyx generally ± = corolla tube, lobe bases generally not overlapped
• corolla lobes generally ± = tube
• anthers 0.3–0.7 mm
• pedicels (0.5)1–5 mm
• corolla tube ± cylindric, lobes reflexed to spreading, ovate- to lance-oblong
• scattered on coast

field dodder
Cuscuta campestris

• corolla scales present
• calyx lobe tips obtuse to rounded; corolla lobe tips acute
• calyx generally ± = corolla tube
• Henry Coe

five angled dodder
Cuscuta pentagona

• Jepson doesn’t have any info for this
• Wikipedia says it’s closely related to C. campestris
• Henry Coe

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2 observed taxons / 5 unobserved taxons / 1 key

Chris’s observations: 6 (4 are research grade)

Locations:

• Coyote Hills RP: 3
• Bear Creek Redwoods OSP
• Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge
• Pinnacles NP

Months:

• Jul.: 3
• Aug.: 0
• Sep.: 2
• Oct.: 1

For more details, use advanced search.

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Not all sites include this taxon:

• genus Cuscuta → iNaturalist – Calflora – Jepson eFlora
• not yet listed → FNA

Bay Area species: iNaturalist – Calflora