ITP Logo

Cuscuta indecora

Species category

Weed

Common name

bigseed alfalfa 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

Size

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

Color

Light brown

Texture

Rough with a hint of a reticulum

Other structures

HilumHilum:
The scar on the seed coat at the place of its detachment from the seed stalk (funiculus).
 is faint and blends in with the seed surface.

Identification notes

Seed surface with sandpapery texture. HilumHilum:
The scar on the seed coat at the place of its detachment from the seed stalk (funiculus).
 is difficult to distinguish from surrounding seed surface.

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 indecora Choisy

From Left to Right: 1. Cuscuta pentagona 2. Cuscuta epithymum 3. Cuscuta indecora . Seeds with a rough surface.
From Left to Right: 1. Cuscuta pentagona 2. Cuscuta epithymum 3. Cuscuta indecora. Seeds with a rough surface.
Cuscuta indecora. Seeds with a rough, sandpapery texture. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Cuscuta indecora. Seeds with a rough, sandpapery texture. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Cuscuta indecora. Rough seeds with a hilum that blends in with the seed surface. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Cuscuta indecora. Rough seeds with a hilum that blends in with the seed surface. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Cuscuta indecora. Seed capsules. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Cuscuta indecora. Seed capsules. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.