Cuscuta jepsonii

Stems pale yellow, slender. In­flo­rescences moderately dense, corymbiform or glomer­ulate; bracts at base of clusters 1, at base of pedicels 0 or 1, ovate to lanceolate, membra­nous, mar­gins entire, apex acute. Pedicels 0.5–1.5 mm, papillate. Flowers 5-merous, 2–3 mm, fleshy, peri­anth cells convex, domelike, perianth papillate; calyx yellow-brownish, shallowly cupulate, 1/2 corolla tube length, divided 1/2 its length, not reticulate or shiny, lobes triangular, bases not overlapping, margins entire, midvein not carinate, apex acute; corolla white, drying brownish, 1.8–2.8 mm, tube campanulate-globulose, 1.3–2 mm, later urceolate, not saccate, lobes erect, ovate-triangular, 1/3–1/2 corolla tube length, margins entire, apex acute, inflexed; infrastaminal scales absent; stamens included, shorter than corolla lobes; filaments 0.2–0.3 mm; anthers 0.2–0.3 × 0.2–0.3 mm; styles subulate, 0.4–0.8 mm, much shorter than ovary. Capsules subglobose or globose to slightly depressed-globose, 2–3 × 2–3.5 mm, thickened and raised around relatively large interstylar aperture, translucent, surrounded by withered corolla, indehiscent. Seeds 2–4, broadly ellipsoid to subglobose, ob­compressed, 0.9–1.1 × 0.8–1 mm, hilum subterminal.

Phenology: Flowering Jul–Sep.
Habitat: mixed forests of Pinus jeffreyi, P. ponderosa, and Pseudotsuga menziesii.
Elevation: 1100–1600 m.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Calif.

Discussion

Cuscuta jepsonii belongs to sect. Californicae Yunker (M. Costea and S. Stefanović 2009) and was presumed extinct until collected again from Yosemite National Park (Mariposa County) in 2009.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.