Cuscuta japonica, commonly known as Japanese dodder, is a parasitic vine. It has been listed by the State of California as a noxious weed.[3] It has a range of effects on its host[4] and has repeatedly been introduced to the United States of America.[5]C. japonica looks very similar to other vines, making it difficult to distinguish.[4]
The Japanese dodder is a plant that parasitizes other plants. From mild development issues to serious complications sometimes resulting in death, the Japanese dodder can cause a wide spectrum of effects on its plant host.[4] Farmers in particular can be affected by this plant, as infection leads to fewer crops they are able to harvest.[6]
Morphology
Cuscuta japonica shares a similar morphology to vines, displaying stems that are mostly yellow with bits of red along it.[4] The Japanese dodder also exhibits small flowers that are "pale-yellow to cream"[7] in color and contain one circular stigma.[8] Any leaves it has are very small and "scale-like" in shape and texture.[4] Fruit produced are small and capsule-like, only carrying a couple of seeds.[9]
History
Cuscuta japonica can be found non-invasively in a variety of places on the continent of Asia.[9] The plant was introduced and reintroduced to the United States of America multiple times starting from the 1940s under the guise of a medicinal plant, and was thought to have been eradicated a couple of times.[5]
References
↑ "Cuscuta japonica Choisy". Plants of the World Online. The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. n.d. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
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