✿Cuscutaceae · Cuscuta

Dodder

Cuscuta chinensis

Also known as Chinese Dodder

Parasiteoutdoor

Habit: Parasite
Found in India: Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh & more
Flowering: October-April

Identify this plant with SASYA

How to identify Dodder

Identify Dodder by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.

Look for a parasite habit.
Check the distinctive field mark: Fine thread-like leafless orange-yellow parasitic vine.
In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: October-April.
In India, compare location records such as Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and nearby regions.
Confirm it sits within the Cuscutaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Dodder.

Plant Details

Scientific name: Cuscuta chinensis
Genus: Cuscuta
Family: Cuscutaceae
Habit: Parasite
Habitat: Moist and dry deciduous forests, also in the plains along with Ipomoea sp
Habitat type: Forest
Native to: China
Distribution: Iran to Australia, China
Found in India: Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand
Flowering & fruiting: October-April
Conservation status: Not Evaluated (NE)

About Dodder

Dodder (Cuscuta chinensis) belongs to the Cuscutaceae family, where it grows as a parasitic plant. In India it has been recorded in Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and 5 other states. It grows in moist and dry deciduous forests, also in the plains along with Ipomoea sp. Flowering and fruiting run from October to April.