CUSCUTA ATRANS

Family:- CONVOLVULACEAE

Common Names:- None

Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Cuscuta (L) A name used by the botanist Rufinus for dodder, from

Arabic keckout.

Atrans (L) Darkening.

General description:- The species is parasitic lacking chlorophyll. Plant

blackening when dry.

Stems:-

1) Long filiform, red to dark purple.

Leaves:-

1) Reduced to minute scales.

Flowers:-

1) 2-2·5 mm, 5-merous, sessile; glomerules c. 5 mm in diam., globose.

2) Calyx, c. 2 mm, obconical-campanulate, enclosing the corolla-tube, dark purple,

slightly fleshy, densely pustular, divided to the middle or beyond; lobes broadly

obovate, shortly mucronate.

3) Corolla purplish, somewhat fleshy, campanulate to infundibuliform.

a) lobes ovate, patent, about as long as tube.

4) Stamens shorter than corolla-lobes.

5) Scales bifid, shortly fimbriate, reaching the stamens.

6) Styles (including stigmas) shorter than the subglobose ovary.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, globose.

2) Seeds ovoid.

Key features:-

1) Flowers (4-)5-merous.

2) Corolla-lobes patent. pink.

3) Plant blackening when dry.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Calcareous, rocky ground between 1400-2100 m. Parasitic on Astragalus

cretica, Vebascum spinosum and other thorncushion plants.

Distribution:- Cretan endemic confined to the Lefka Ori & Dikti massifs. Rare.

Flowering time:- July-Aug.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton

Status:-

Protection status (for threatened species): Greek Presidential Decree. 67/1981.