Cuscuta americana L.

  • Authority

    Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.

  • Family

    Cuscutaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Cuscuta americana L.

  • Description

    Species Description - Vine to 5 m long, with many entangled, lateral branches; stems golden-yellow, cylindrical, smooth and glabrous, 1.5-2.5 mm diam. Leaves reduced to 1-2 mm long, yellowish scales. Flowers bisexual, sessile, on short, axillary cymes. Calyx cup-shaped, whitish, membranous, 2.3-2.5 mm long, with 5 rounded, minute lobes; corolla whitish, cup-shaped to tubular, ca. 2.3 mm long, with 5 minute, rounded lobes; stamens 5, attached to upper portion of corolla tube, the filaments with a fringed scale at base; ovary depressed-globose. Fruit thin-walled, nearly globose, 1.5-2 mm long, with persistent styles, opening along the intrastylar region; seeds 1 or rarely 2 per fruit, nearly globose to lenticular, ca. 1.5 mm long, smooth, light brown.

  • Discussion

    Common names: love, love bush, love vine, yellow dodder, yellow love.

  • Distribution

    Common in open, dry areas. Fish Bay (A2466), Lameshur (A2569), Nanny Point (A2453). Also on St. Croix, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda; a common weed throughout the New World.

    Virgin Gorda Virgin Islands South America| Tortola Virgin Islands South America| Saint Thomas Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint John Virgin Islands of the United States South America|