Cuscuta epilinum

Species category

Weed

Common name

flax dodder

Diagnostic characters

Planting unit

True seedTrue seed:
A mature fertilized ovule consisting of an embryo, with or without and external food reserve (e.g., endosperm) enclosed by the testa.

Shape

Globose with a flat side

Size

  • Length 1.2–1.5 mm
  • Width 0.6–1 mm
  • Thickness 0.6–1 mm

Color

Gray

Texture

Woolly hairs

Other structures

HilumHilum:
The scar on the seed coat at the place of its detachment from the seed stalk (funiculus).
is present in slight indentations and is inconspicuous.

Identification notes

Seeds tend to adhere to each other and form multiple units.

Noxious weed seed categories

State Noxious Weed: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

All species of Cuscuta are regulated as plant pests and require a pest permit for importation or interstate movement, but not all species are listed on the federal noxious weed list. Learn more about Cuscuta spp. on ITP's Federal Noxious Weed Disseminules tool.

AOSA examination list

Not included

More information

For more information, see ISMA fact sheet, Cuscuta spp.

Nomenclature

Family

Cuscutaceae

Valid name

Cuscuta epilinum Weihe

 Cuscuta epilinum.  Woolly seeds that tend to adhere to each other and form multiple units. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Cuscuta epilinum. Woolly seeds that tend to adhere to each other and form multiple units. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
 Cuscuta epilinum.  Seeds with a hilum that is present in slight indentations and is inconspicuous. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Cuscuta epilinum. Seeds with a hilum that is present in slight indentations and is inconspicuous. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.