Cuscuta polygonorum
Amer. J. Sci. Arts 43: 342, plate 6, figs. 26–29. 1842.
Stems yellow-orange, slender to medium. Inflorescences dense, glomerulate; bracts at base of clusters 1, at base of pedicels 0–1, ovate-triangular to lanceolate, membranous, margins entire, apex acute. Pedicels 0–1 mm. Flowers (3 or)4-merous, 2–2.7 mm, membranous, not papillate; calyx brownish yellow, cupulate, equaling corolla tube length, divided 1/2–2/3 its length, not reticulate or shiny, lobes triangular-ovate, bases not overlapping, margins entire, midvein not carinate, without hornlike appendages, apex obtuse to rounded; corolla white, drying yellow-brown, 1.8–2.5 mm, tube cupulate to shallowly campanulate, 1–1.4 mm, not saccate, lobes erect, triangular, equaling or longer than corolla tube length, margins entire, apex acute, inflexed; infrastaminal scales usually well developed, sometimes poorly developed, oblong, 0.8–1.2 mm, shorter than to equaling corolla tube length, bridged at 0.1–0.2 mm, mostly shallowly 2-fid with 1–3 fimbriae on each side of filament attachment or irregularly fimbriate at apex, fimbriae (0.05–)0.1–0.3 mm; stamens exserted, shorter than to ± equaling corolla lobes; filaments 0.4–0.8 mm; anthers 0.3–0.4 × 0.2–0.3 mm; styles subulate, 0.4–0.9 mm, shorter than ovary. Capsules depressed-globose, often appearing angled, 1.6–3 × 2.5–5 mm, not thickened or raised around relatively large interstylar aperture, not translucent, base ± enveloped by withered corolla, indehiscent. Seeds 3 or 4, obcompressed, subglobose or broadly ovoid to broadly ellipsoid, 1.4–1.6 × 1.2–1.3 mm, hilum region subterminal.
Phenology: Flowering Jul–Oct.
Habitat: margins of streams, lakes, swamps, flood plains.
Elevation: 30–500 m.
Distribution
Ont., Que., Ark., Conn., Del., D.C., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., La., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Mo., Nebr., N.J., N.Y., N.Dak., Ohio, Okla., Pa., R.I., Tenn., Tex., Va., Wis.
Discussion
Selected References
None.