Cuscuta approximata — alfalfa dodder
![Leaves: Cuscuta approximata. ~ By Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board. ~ Copyright © 2024 Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board. ~ noxiousweeds[at]agr.wa.gov ~ www.nwcb.wa.gov/admin%5CWeedImages%5Csmoothseedalfalfadodder2.jpg](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Convolvulaceae/cuscuta-approximata-le-wastatenwcb1.jpg)
![Flowers: Cuscuta approximata. ~ By Curtis Bjork. ~ Copyright © 2024 Curtis Bjork. ~ crbjork[at]gmail.com ~ E-Flora BC - www.geog.ubc.ca/biodiversity/eflora/](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Convolvulaceae/cuscuta-approximata-fl-cbjork.jpg)
![Plant form: Cuscuta approximata. ~ By Mihai Costea. ~ Copyright © 2024 Mihai Costea. ~ Wilfred Laurier University, mcostea[at]wlu.ca
~ Pytoimages, www.phytoimages.siu.edu](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Convolvulaceae/cuscuta-approximata-ha-mcostea1.jpg)
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Facts
Alfalfa dodder is a parasitic plant native to Europe, Asia and North Africa. It is considered a noxious weed in many parts of North America due to its preference for alfalfa (Medicago sativa) as a host plant.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
enlargeCharacteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
- Massachusetts
- Flower petal color
-
- pink to red
- white
- Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
-
- NA
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
- there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Fusion of sepals and petals
- the petals or the sepals are fused into a cup or tube
- Stamen number
-
- 4
- 5
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
-
Clonal plantlets
- Bulbils
- the plant does not appear to have bulbils
- Bulblets replace flowers
- there are no bulblets where the flowers are located
-
Flowers
- Anther opening
- the anthers have narrow slits or furrows that run lengthwise along the anthers
- Anther spurs
- the anthers do not have spurs on them
- Calyx symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the calyx (the calyx is radially symmetrical)
- Carpels fused
- the carpels are fused to one another
- Cleistogamous flowers
- there are no cleistogamous flowers on the plan
- Corolla palate
- no
- Corona lobe length
- 0 mm
- Epicalyx
- the flower does not have an epicalyx
- Epicalyx number of parts
- 0
- Filament surface
- the filament is smooth, with no hairs or scales
- Flower description
- the flower has a superior ovary, and lacks a hypanthium
- Flower petal color
-
- pink to red
- white
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Flowers sunken into stem
- no
- Form of style
- the flower has two or more completely separate styles
- Fused stamen clusters
- NA
- Fusion of sepals and petals
- the petals or the sepals are fused into a cup or tube
- Horns in hoods (Asclepias)
- NA
- Hypanthium
- the flower does not have a hypanthium
- Inflorescence one-sided
- the flowers are arrayed in a spiral around the inflorescence axis or branches, or occur singly, or in several ranks
- Inner tepals (Rumex)
- NA
- Nectar spur
- the flower has no nectar spurs
- Number of pistils
- 1
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
- there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Ovary position
- the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
- Petal and sepal arrangement
- the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures
- Petal and sepal colors
- white
- Petal appearance
- the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)
- Petal folds or pleats
- the petals of the flower do not have folds or plaits
- Petal hairs (Viola)
- NA
- Petal number
- 4–5
- Petal tips (Cuscuta)
- the tips of the petals stand up straight or slant outwards
- Reproductive system
- all the flowers have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)
- Scales inside corolla
- no
- Sepal and petal color
- the sepals are different from the petals
- Sepal appendages
- the sepals have one or more appendages on them
- Sepal appendages (Oenothera)
- NA
- Sepal number
- 5
- Stamen attachment
- the stamens are attached at or near the bases of the petals or tepals
- Stamen number
-
- 4
- 5
- Stamen position relative to petals
- the stamens are lined up with the sepals
- Staminodes
- there are no staminodes on the flower
- Umbel flower reproductive parts
- NA
- Upper lip of bilabiate corolla
- NA
-
Fruits or seeds
- Achene relative orientation
- NA
- Achene shape
- NA
- Achene surface (Polygonum)
- NA
- Achene type
- NA
- Berry color
- NA
- Capsule color (Viola)
- NA
- Capsule ribs
- the capsule has no prominent ribs or wings
- Capsule splitting
- NA
- Fruit features (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Fruit locules
- two
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
- Fruit type (specific)
- the fruit is a pyxis (when dry it splits around the middle, and the top falls off, exposing the seeds)
- Legumes (Fabaceae)
- NA
- Mericarp length
- 0 mm
- Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)
- NA
- Other markings on berry
- NA
- Ovary stipe
- the ovary or fruit does not have a stipe
- Placenta arrangement
- the plant has axile placentation, in which the ovules are attached where the septa of a compound ovary are united, usually on the central axis, or to the septa themselves
- Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit compression
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit segments
- 0
- Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Wings on fruit
- the fruit does not have wings on it
- prickles on fruits
- the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures
-
Glands or sap
- Glands on leaf blade
-
- NA
- the leaf blades do not have glandular dots or scales
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
- Sap color
- the sap is clear
-
Growth form
- Horizontal rooting stem
- the plant does not have stolons
- Lifespan
- the plant lives only a single year or less
- Parasitism
- the plant is parasitic on other plants (partially or completely dependent on other plants to supply nutrients)
- Plant color
- the plant lacks green pigments, even on the leaves or young stems
- Plants darken when dry
- no
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
-
Leaves
- Bracteole number (Apiaceae)
- 0
- Bracts in plantain (Plantago)
- NA
- Final leaf segment length to width ratio (compound lvs only)
- 0
- Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Hairs on underside of leaf
- the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or it has very few hairs
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade base
- the leaf has no stalk
- Leaf blade edges
-
- NA
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- Leaf blade surface colors
-
- NA
- the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color
- Leaf duration
- the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)
- Leaf form
- the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture
- Leaf spines
-
- NA
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf stalk attachment to leaf
- NA
- Leaf stalk base
- NA
- Leaf teeth and lobes
-
- NA
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf types
- NA
- Leaflet number
- 0
- Leaflet petiolules
- NA
- Leaves per node
- there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Pinnately compound leaf type
- NA
- Specific leaf type
- the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Stipule features
- NA
- Stipules
- there are no stipules on the plant
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
- Massachusetts
- Specific habitat
-
- man-made or disturbed habitats
- meadows or fields
-
Scent
- Plant odor
- the plant does not have much of a smell
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Branched tendrils
- NA
- Flowering stem cross-section
- the flowering stem is circular, or with lots of small angles so that it is roughly circular
- Hairs between stem nodes
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
- Hooked hairs on stem between nodes
- no
- Leaves on stem
- NA
- Stem roughness between nodes
- the stem does not feel rough
- Tendril origin
- NA
- Tendrils
- the plant does not have tendrils
Wetland status
Not classified
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- absent
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
None
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
1. Cuscuta approximata Bab. E
alfalfa dodder. Cuscuta approximata Bab. var. urceolata (Kunze) Yuncker; C. epithymum L. ssp. approximata (Bab.) Rouy; C. planiflora Ten. • MA. Parasitic on tracheophytes, commonly species of Medicago.
Native to North America?
No
Sometimes confused with
Synonyms
- Cuscuta approximata Bab. var. urceolata (Kunze) Yuncker
- Cuscuta epithymum L. ssp. approximata (Bab.) Rouy
- Cuscuta planiflora