Monographs Details:
Authority:

Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro. 2005. Vines and climbing plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 51: 1-483.
Family:

Cuscutaceae
Scientific Name:

Cuscuta americana L.
Description:

Description - Herbaceous parasitic vine, attaining 5 m in length, with numerous lateral twining branches that adhere by means of haustoria. Stems yellow-orange, cylindrical, smooth, glabrous, 1 .5-2.5 mm in diameter. Leaves vestigial, 1-2 mm long, yellowish, in the form of scales. Flowers bisexual, sessile, in short axillary cymes. Calyx crateriform, whitish, membranaceous, 2.3-2.5 mm long, with 5 minute lobes; corolla whitish, crateriform to tubular, ca. 2.3 mm long, with 5 minute and rounded lobes: stamens 5. adnate to the upper portion of the corolla tube, the filaments with a scalloped scale at the base; ovary depressed-globose. Capsule thin-walled, 1.5-2 mm long, opening longitudinally in the area between the two styles. Seed one or rarely two per fruit, subglobose or lenticular, ca. 1 .5 mm long, smooth, light brown.

Phenology - Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.

Conservation Status - Native, very common.

Common Names:

fideillo, tente en el aire