Taxon:  Cuscuta epithymum (L.) L.



Summary
Genus:
Cuscuta
Family:
Convolvulaceae
Tribe:
Cuscuteae
Nomen number:
311579
Place of publication:
Syst. veg. ed. 13:140.  1774 (Fl. monspel.  1756, nom. inval.)
Comment:
  • in Fl. monspel., Linnaeus intended this as Cuscuta europaea var. epithymum
  • Linnaeus is author of the new names in Syst. veg. ed. 13
  • Murray was simply editor, fide TL-2 3:110, 670. 1981
Verified:
09/07/2004 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
0 (0  active, 0  available) in National Plant Germplasm System. 
Other conspecific taxa
Cuscuta epithymum subsp. trifolii (0 active accession[s])
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Basionym
Cuscuta europaea L. var. epithymum L.

Images (1 total. Click on image for more.)
Seed

Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
  2. Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
  3. Ali, S. I. & S. M. H. Jafri, eds. 1976-. Flora of Libya.
  4. Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
  5. Beetle, A. A. 1970. Recommended plant names. Univ. Wyoming Agr. Exp. Sta. Res. J. 31
  6. Black, J. M. 1943-1957. Flora of Southern Australia, ed. 2.
  7. Botanical Society of the British Isles. BSBI taxon database (on-line resource).
  8. Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 200.
  9. Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
  10. Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
  11. Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 2:1342.
  12. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2010. Ecocrop (on-line resource).
  13. Garcia, M. A. & S. Cafferty. 2005. Revised lectotypification of Cuscuta epithymum (L.) L. (Convolvulaceae). Taxon 54:477-478.
  14. Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
  15. Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1963. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada.
  16. Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
  17. Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
  18. Holm, L. et al. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds
  19. Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
  20. Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
  21. Jahandiez, E. & R. Maire. 1931-1941. Catalogue des plantes du Maroc.
  22. Kartesz, J. T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland.
  23. Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
  24. Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
  25. Lazarides, M. & B. Hince. 1993. CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia
  26. Munz, P. A. & D. D. Keck. 1959. A California flora.
  27. Quézel, P. & S. Santa. 1962-1963. Nouvelle flore de l'Algerie.
  28. Scoggan, H. J. 1978-1979. The flora of Canada, 4 vol.
  29. Stearn, W. T. 1973. Magnol's Botanicum Monspeliense and Linnaeus's Flora Monspeliensis. In: Geck, E. & G. Pressler, eds., Festschrift für Claus Nissen : zum siebzigsten Geburtstag, 2. Sept. 1971. 630. Note: Pressler, Wiesbaden
  30. Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
  31. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
  32. Weakley, A. S. 2011. Flora of the southern and middle Atlantic states.
  33. 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, 4:40. Note: ser. 1, 1905-1957; ser. 2, 1954-1972
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishclover dodder  1Beetle, A. A. 1970. Recommended plant names. Univ. Wyoming Agr. Exp. Sta. Res. J. 31
Englishcommon dodder  1Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
Englishdodder  1Botanical Society of the British Isles. BSBI taxon database (on-line resource).
Englishlesser dodder  1Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
English (Canada)clover dodder Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada official name2Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 200.
French (Canada)cuscute du thym Agriculture & Agroalimentaire Canada nom officiel2Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 200.
GermanThymian-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
Swedishljungsnärja  2Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaAlgeria  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaLibya  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaMorocco  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaTunisia  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAsia-TemperateCaucasusArmenia  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateCaucasusAzerbaijan  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateCaucasusGeorgia  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateCaucasusRussian Federation-CiscaucasiaCiscaucasia Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateMiddle AsiaKazakhstan  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateSiberiaRussian FederationAltay Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateSiberiaRussian Federation-Western SiberiaWestern Siberia Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaIran   
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaIsrael   
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaJordan   
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaLebanon   
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaSyria   
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaTurkey  Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
1NativeEuropeEastern EuropeBelarus   
1NativeEuropeEastern EuropeEstonia   
1NativeEuropeEastern EuropeLatvia   
1NativeEuropeEastern EuropeLithuania   
1NativeEuropeEastern EuropeMoldova   
1NativeEuropeEastern EuropeRussian Federation-European partEuropean part Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeEuropeEastern EuropeUkraine   
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeAustria  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeBelgium  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeCzechoslovakia  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeGermany  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeHungary  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeNetherlands  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeSwitzerland  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeNorthern EuropeDenmark  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeNorthern EuropeFinland  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeNorthern EuropeIreland  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeNorthern EuropeNorway  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeNorthern EuropeSweden  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeNorthern EuropeUnited Kingdom  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeAlbania  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeBulgaria  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeFormer Yugoslavia  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeGreece incl. CreteGreuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeItaly incl. SicilyGreuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeRomania  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSouthwestern EuropeFrance incl. CorsicaTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSouthwestern EuropePortugal  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSouthwestern EuropeSpain incl. BalearesTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth Africa  Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
4NaturalizedAustralasiaAustraliaAustralia  Lazarides, M. & B. Hince. 1993. CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia
4NaturalizedAustralasiaNew ZealandNew Zealand  Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
4NaturalizedNorthern America Canada  Scoggan, H. J. 1978-1979. The flora of Canada, 4 vol.
4NaturalizedNorthern America United States  Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentina  Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaChile  Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
Native
Africa
  • NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia
Asia-Temperate
  • WESTERN ASIA: Iran, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey
  • CAUCASUS: Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia [Ciscaucasia], Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia
  • SIBERIA: Russian Federation-Western Siberia [Western Siberia], Russian Federation [Altay]
  • MIDDLE ASIA: Kazakhstan
Europe
  • NORTHERN EUROPE: Denmark, Finland, United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Sweden
  • MIDDLE EUROPE: Czechoslovakia, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands
  • EASTERN EUROPE: Russian Federation-European part [European part], Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Ukraine
  • SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Former Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece (incl. Crete), Italy (incl. Sicily), Romania
  • SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain (incl. Baleares), France (incl. Corsica), Portugal
Naturalized
Africa
  • SOUTHERN AFRICA: South Africa
Australasia
  • AUSTRALIA: Australia
  • NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand
Northern America
  • REGION: Canada, United States
Southern America
  • SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina, Chile

Reference(s)
  1. Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
  2. Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
  3. Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
  4. Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
  5. Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
  6. Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
  7. Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
  8. Lazarides, M. & B. Hince. 1993. CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia
  9. Scoggan, H. J. 1978-1979. The flora of Canada, 4 vol.
  10. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Medicinesfolklore Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
Weedparasite Holm, L. et al. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds
Weedseed contaminantpotentialHolm, L. et al. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds
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=311579. Accessed 12 May 2026.