Cuscuta compacta

Cuscuta compacta, the compact dodder,[1] is a parasitic plant that specializes on woody plants. This species is distributed across the Eastern and Midwestern USA, Eastern Canada, and Mexico.

Cuscuta compacta
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Solanales
Family: Convolvulaceae
Genus: Cuscuta
Species:
C. compacta
Binomial name
Cuscuta compacta
Juss. ex Choisy

Introduction

Cuscuta compacta is also known as compact dodder or flower love vine.[2] The range of this parasitic plant extends from eastern Canada, the eastern and Midwestern USA to Canada.[3] It is very common in southern Alabama and other southeastern U.S. states.[3]

Description

The plant Cuscuta compacta is known as stem parasite with a yellowish stem that wraps around a host plant. The flowers on this plant are very small. The flowers are small and occur from clusters of four to five. The flowers have a tube or cylinder form with a size of 5mm long and 2mm wide. The sepals of the flower have obtuse tips. The corolla tips on C. compacta gradually acuminate to a sharp point. The length of the stamens are 0.3mm long and is exerted. The style of the pistil is 0.5 mm long. Scales on C. compacta are shorter than the corolla tube. Capsules are tubular in shape with a length of 3mm long and width of 2mm wide. The seeds of C. compacta are 2mm in length and are brown when fresh.[2]

Taxonomy

The species Cuscuta compacta Juss. ex Choisy has four accepted synonyms or subspecific varieties. Synonyms are alternative names for a species. Some names attributed to Cuscuta compacta are Cuscuta compacta var. adpressa (Engelm.) Engelm, Cuscuta fruticum Bertol, Cuscuta glomerata var. adpressa (Engelm.) Choisy, and Lepidanche adpressa Engelm.[4] The kingdom for Cuscuta compacta is Plantae. The subkingdom is Viridiplantae. The division is Tracheophyta or known as vascular plants. The class is Magnoliopsida. The order is Solanales. The family is Convolvulaceae which is also known as morning glories. Included in the family is Cuscutaceae. The genus is Cuscuta L. or known as dodder. The Species is Cuscuta compacta Juss. ex Choisy or also known as the compact dodder. The Cuscutaceae family is closely related to the Oncothecaceae family on an Angiosperm Phylogeny.[5][6] C. compacta is in the Cleistogrammica section subsection Lepidanche. Two closest species related to C. compacta are, Cuscuta glomerata and Cuscuta denticulata[7].

Distribution and Habitat

The species Cuscuta compacta can be particularly found in the lower 48 states including Canada.[8] The genus Cuscuta compacta has been identified in Africa, Europe, South America, China, and Australia.[9][10] Cuscuta compacta can be seen wrapped around their host plants during the months of July through November. Its habitat consists of bottomland forests near stream banks. Other locations are marshes, swamps, and any wet habitats. Cuscuta compacta can parasitize both herbaceous and but especially specialize on woody hosts.[11] Cuscuta is highly diverse being found all over the world yet majority of this genus is in the Americas.

Parasitism

C. compacta is a heterotrophic parasitic plant meaning they attach themselves around other plants and remove their nutrients.[12] As compact dodders age over time, it does not grow any roots. Instead of growing roots, it produces a slender shoot that develops into tendrils. Although it takes time, the tendrils begin to bend and move in different directions until it has attached itself to a host.[3] In a controlled lab environment Cuscuta compacta can attach itself to many host at one time. Yet in the wild, this species C. compacta appears to be more selective for hosts.[13]

Germination

Germination occurs when the embryo begins to grow and bursts from the seed coat. Then the process begins only after the seed absorbs water. The embryo then starts to use the stored food to grow and develop the radicle facing the [null ground][l1]. In order for Cuscuta compacta to germinate the ambient temperature needs to be 22 C to 23 C (71.6 F to 73.4 F).[2]

Economic Impact

In North Carolina blueberry growers have reported Cuscuta compacta as an agronomic pest. Notably, C. compacta specializes on woody hosts such as blueberry bushes (Vaccinium spp.) The multiple basal shoots on blueberry bushes may facilitates parasitism by C. compacta. Ditches associated with wetlands may be responsible for Cuscuta seed dispersal or possibly birds.[14]

Hosts

Cuscuta compacta uses herbaceous hosts but specializes on woody or semi-woody plants. Reported hosts of C. compacta: Acer, Alnus, Amelopsis, Apios, Aster, Baccharis, Bignonia, Boehmeria, Campsis, Carpinus, Cephalantbus, Cyrilla, Diespyrus, Elephatopus, Eupatorium, Gelsemium, Halesia, Hypericum, Ilex, Idea, Iva, Lespedeza, Leucotboe, Ludwigia, Myrica, Nyssa, Rubus, Sambucus, Sapium, Sassafras, Saururus, Smilax, Vaccinium, Viburnum[15].

References
  1. "Cuscuta compacta". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  2. Musselman, Lytton J. (1986-01-01). "The Genus Cuscuta in Virginia". Castanea. 51 (3): 188–196. JSTOR 4033386.
  3. Visser, Johann (1985). Parasitic flowering plants (1st ed.). [Pretoria?]: Hollandsch Afrikaansche Uitgevers Maatschappij. p. 23. ISBN 978-0798615907.
  4. "Cuscuta compacta Juss. ex Choisy". The Plant List. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  5. "ITIS Standard Report Page: Cuscuta compacta". www.itis.gov. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  6. Hilger, Dr. Hartmut H. "Angiosperm Phylogeny" (PDF). Biologie. Freie Universität Berlin. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  7. McNeal, Joel R.; Arumugunathan, Kathiravetpilla; Kuehl, Jennifer V.; Boore, Jeffrey L.; dePamphilis, Claude W. (2007-01-01). "Systematics and plastid genome evolution of the cryptically photosynthetic parasitic plant genus Cuscuta(Convolvulaceae)". BMC Biology. 5: 55. doi:10.1186/1741-7007-5-55. ISSN 1741-7007. PMC 2242782. PMID 18078516.
  8. "Cuscuta compacta Juss. ex Choisy". plants.usda.gov.
  9. Yuncker, Truman George (1 January 1932). "The Genus Cuscuta". Memoirs of the Torrey Botanical Club. 18 (2): 109–331. JSTOR 43390598.
  10. Kuijt, Job. The Biology of Parasitic Flowering Plants. Los Angeles, California: University of California Press. pp. 136–157.
  11. Weakley, Alan S. (21 May 2015). "Flora of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic States" (PDF): 951. Retrieved 18 November 2016. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  12. Hosford, Robert M. (October 1967). "Transmission of plant viruses by dodder". The Botanical Review. 33 (4): 387–406. doi:10.1007/BF02858742. S2CID 43273916.
  13. Harris, James G. Harris & melinda Woolf (2000). Plant identification terminology : an illustrated glossary (2nd rev. ed.). Utah: Spring Lake Pub. ISBN 978-0-9640221-6-4.
  14. Monaco, T. J.; Mainland, C. M. (June 1981). "Cuscuta compacta on Blueberries in North Carolina" (PDF). Haustorium Parasitic Plants Newsletter: 9. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  15. Gandhi, Kancheepuram N.; Thomas, R. Dale; Hatch, Stephan L. (December 1987). "Cuscutaceae of Louisiana". SIDA, Contributions to Botany. 12 (2): 361–379. JSTOR 41967424.
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