Taxon:  Cuscuta epilinum Weihe ex Boenn.



Summary
Genus:
Cuscuta
Family:
Convolvulaceae
Tribe:
Cuscuteae
Nomen number:
12684
Place of publication:
C. M. F. von Boenninghausen, Prodr. fl. monast. westphal. 75.  1824 Mar (Arch. Apothek. Nord. Deutsch. 8:50-51.  1824 Jul)
Verified:
09/07/2004 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
0 (0  active, 0  available) in National Plant Germplasm System. 
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Images (1 total. Click on image for more.)
Seed

Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
  2. Angely, J. A. 1965. Flora analitica do Parana.
  3. APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
  4. Beetle, A. A. 1970. Recommended plant names. Univ. Wyoming Agr. Exp. Sta. Res. J. 31
  5. Costea, M. & F. J. Tardif. 2006. The biology of Canadian weeds. 133. Cuscuta campestris Yunck., C. gronovii Willd. ex Schult., C. umbrosa Beyr. ex Hook. , C. epithymum (L.) L. and C. epilinum Weihe. Canad. J. Pl. Sci. 86:293-316. DOI: 10.4141/P04-077.
  6. Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 199.
  7. Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
  8. Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 2:1342.
  9. Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1963. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada.
  10. Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
  11. Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
  12. Hansen, A. & P. Sunding. 1993. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants, ed. 4. Sommerfeltia vol. 17.
  13. Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
  14. Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
  15. Jahandiez, E. & R. Maire. 1931-1941. Catalogue des plantes du Maroc.
  16. Jardin botanique national de Belgique. 1967-. Flore du Congo, du Rwanda et du Burundi (Flore d'Afrique centrale).
  17. Kartesz, J. T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland.
  18. Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
  19. Krasnoborov, I. M., ed. 2000-. Flora of Siberia (English translation)
  20. Manitz, H. 1983. Zur Nomenklatur einiger Convolvulaceae und Cuscutaceae. I. Feddes Repert. 94:176.
  21. Musselman, L. J. 1996. Parasitic weeds in the Southern United States. Castanea 61:271-292. Note: this article does not cite this species; however, in page 286, it mentioms human as main dispersers of parasatic seeds, especially during seed shipments as in the case of Cuscuta pentagona and other species
  22. Quézel, P. & S. Santa. 1962-1963. Nouvelle flore de l'Algerie.
  23. Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
  24. Täckholm, V. 1974. Students' flora of Egypt, ed. 2.
  25. Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
  26. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
  27. Weakley, A. S. 2011. Flora of the southern and middle Atlantic states.
  28. Yuncker, T. G. 1965. Cuscuta. In: Britton, N. L. et al., eds. ser. 1; C. T. Rogerson, ed. ser. 2, North American flora ser. 2, 4:39-40. Note: ser. 1, 1905-1957; ser. 2, 1954-1972
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishflax dodder  1Beetle, A. A. 1970. Recommended plant names. Univ. Wyoming Agr. Exp. Sta. Res. J. 31
English (Canada)flax dodder Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada official name2Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 199.
French (Canada)cuscute du lin Agriculture & Agroalimentaire Canada nom officiel2Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 199.
GermanFlachs-Seide  2Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 2:1342.
Portuguese (Brazil)cipó-de-chumbo  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Swedishlinsnärja  2Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAsia-TemperateMiddle AsiaKazakhstan  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateMiddle AsiaKyrgyzstan  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateMiddle AsiaTajikistan  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaIran  Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
4NaturalizedAfricaEast Tropical AfricaKenya  Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
4NaturalizedAfricaEast Tropical AfricaUganda  Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
4NaturalizedAfricaMacaronesiaPortugalMadeira Islands Hansen, A. & P. Sunding. 1993. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants, ed. 4. Sommerfeltia vol. 17.
4NaturalizedAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaEthiopia  Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
4NaturalizedAfricaNorthern AfricaAlgeria  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
4NaturalizedAfricaNorthern AfricaEgypt  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
4NaturalizedAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaDemocratic Republic of the Congo  Jardin botanique national de Belgique. 1967-. Flore du Congo, du Rwanda et du Burundi (Flore d'Afrique centrale).
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateRussian Far EastRussian FederationPrimorye Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateSiberiaRussian FederationAltay Krasnoborov, I. M., ed. 2000-. Flora of Siberia (English translation)
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateSiberiaRussian FederationKurganskaja oblast' Krasnoborov, I. M., ed. 2000-. Flora of Siberia (English translation)
4NaturalizedEuropeEastern EuropeBelarus  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeEastern EuropeEstonia  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeEastern EuropeLatvia  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeEastern EuropeLithuania  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeEastern EuropeMoldova  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
4NaturalizedEuropeEastern EuropeRussian Federation-European partEuropean part Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeEastern EuropeUkraine   
4NaturalizedEuropeMiddle EuropeAustria  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeMiddle EuropeCzechoslovakia  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeMiddle EuropeGermany  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeMiddle EuropeHungary  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeMiddle EuropePoland  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeNorthern EuropeFinland  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeNorthern EuropeNorway  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeNorthern EuropeSweden  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeBulgaria  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeItaly incl. Sardinia, SicilyTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeRomania  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSouthwestern EuropeFrance incl. CorsicaTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSouthwestern EuropeSpain  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedNorthern America Canada  Yuncker, T. G. 1965. Cuscuta. In: Britton, N. L. et al., eds. ser. 1; C. T. Rogerson, ed. ser. 2, North American flora ser. 2, 4:39-40. Note: ser. 1, 1905-1957; ser. 2, 1954-1972
4NaturalizedNorthern America United States  Yuncker, T. G. 1965. Cuscuta. In: Britton, N. L. et al., eds. ser. 1; C. T. Rogerson, ed. ser. 2, North American flora ser. 2, 4:39-40. Note: ser. 1, 1905-1957; ser. 2, 1954-1972
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanNetherlands Antilles  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaBuenos Aires Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
6Other    native range obscure, perhaps in Asia 
Native
Asia-Temperate
  • WESTERN ASIA: Iran
  • MIDDLE ASIA: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan
Naturalized
Africa
  • MACARONESIA: Portugal [Madeira Islands]
  • NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria, Egypt
  • NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Ethiopia
  • EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Uganda
  • WEST-CENTRAL TROPICAL AFRICA: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Asia-Temperate
  • SIBERIA: Russian Federation [Altay, Kurganskaja oblast']
  • RUSSIAN FAR EAST: Russian Federation [Primorye]
Europe
  • NORTHERN EUROPE: Finland, Norway, Sweden
  • MIDDLE EUROPE: Czechoslovakia, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Poland
  • EASTERN EUROPE: Russian Federation-European part [European part], Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Ukraine
  • SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Bulgaria, Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), Romania
  • SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain, France (incl. Corsica)
Northern America
  • REGION: Canada, United States
Southern America
  • CARIBBEAN: Netherlands Antilles
  • SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina [Buenos Aires]
Other (native range obscure, perhaps in Asia)

Reference(s)
  1. Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
  2. Hansen, A. & P. Sunding. 1993. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants, ed. 4. Sommerfeltia vol. 17.
  3. Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
  4. Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
  5. Jardin botanique national de Belgique. 1967-. Flore du Congo, du Rwanda et du Burundi (Flore d'Afrique centrale).
  6. Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
  7. Krasnoborov, I. M., ed. 2000-. Flora of Siberia (English translation)
  8. Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
  9. Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
  10. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
  11. Yuncker, T. G. 1965. Cuscuta. In: Britton, N. L. et al., eds. ser. 1; C. T. Rogerson, ed. ser. 2, North American flora ser. 2, 4:39-40. Note: ser. 1, 1905-1957; ser. 2, 1954-1972
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Weedparasiteof flaxCostea, M. & F. J. Tardif. 2006. The biology of Canadian weeds. 133. Cuscuta campestris Yunck., C. gronovii Willd. ex Schult., C. umbrosa Beyr. ex Hook. , C. epithymum (L.) L. and C. epilinum Weihe. Canad. J. Pl. Sci. 86:293-316. DOI: 10.4141/P04-077.
Weedseed contaminantpotentialMusselman, L. J. 1996. Parasitic weeds in the Southern United States. Castanea 61:271-292. Note: this article does not cite this species; however, in page 286, it mentioms human as main dispersers of parasatic seeds, especially during seed shipments as in the case of Cuscuta pentagona and other species
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=12684. Accessed 12 May 2026.