Cuscuta chinensis

Species category

Weed

Common name

Chinese 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 some flat compressed surfaces

Size

  • Length 1.2–1.6 mm
  • Width 0.9–1.3 mm
  • Thickness 0.9–1.3 mm

Color

Brown

Texture

GranularGranular:
Resembling or consisting of small grains or particles.

Other structures

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

Identification notes

There is a slight reticulationReticulated:
Resembling a net or network, especially having veins, fibers, or lines crossing the surface.  
of the granules on the 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 chinensis Lam.

 Cuscuta chinensis.  Globose with some flat compressed surfaces. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Cuscuta chinensis. Globose with some flat compressed surfaces. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
 Cuscuta chinensis.  Seeds with a slight reticulation of the granules on the seed surface. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Cuscuta chinensis. Seeds with a slight reticulation of the granules on the seed surface. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.