Cuscuta compacta
Mém. Soc. Phys. Genève 9: 281, plate 4, fig. 2. 1842.
Stems yellow-orange, coarse. Inflorescences dense to loose, glomerulate, often originating endogenously; bracts at base of clusters, pedicels, and/or flowers 2–4(–6), ovate-orbiculate, fleshy, margins scarious, finely denticulate-fimbriate, apex erect, obtuse. Pedicels 0–1 mm. Flowers 5-merous, 4–6 mm, fleshy, not papillate; calyx brown-yellow, cylindro-campanulate, 3/4 corolla tube length, divided to base or nearly so, finely reticulate, shiny, lobes orbiculate, bases broadly overlapping, margins scarious, minutely denticulate-fimbriate, midvein not carinate, apex rounded; corolla white to creamy greenish, drying creamy brown, 3.8–4.5 mm, tube cylindric, 3–4 mm, not saccate, lobes spreading to reflexed, ovate, 1/3–1/4 corolla tube length, margins entire, apex obtuse, straight; infrastaminal scales oblong to obovate, 2.6–3.3 mm, 3/4 to equaling corolla tube length, bridged at 0.9–1.3 mm, usually densely fimbriate in distal 1/2–3/4, sometimes reduced, 2-fid with 1–3 fimbriae on each side of filament insertion or dentate-winged, fimbriae 0.4–0.8 mm; stamens exserted, shorter than corolla lobes; filaments 0.2–0.3 mm; anthers 0.3–0.4 × 0.3–0.4 mm; styles filiform, 1–2 mm, longer than ovary. Capsules conic-globose to broadly ellipsoid, 3–5(–6) × 2–2.5 mm, thickened and slightly umbonate around relatively small interstylar aperture, not translucent, capped by withered corolla, indehiscent. Seeds 1–4, obcompressed, broadly ovoid to broadly ellipsoid, 1.9–2.5 × 1.7–2.3 mm, hilum region subterminal. 2n = 30.
Phenology: Flowering late Jul–Nov.
Habitat: wetland margins, wet woodlands.
Elevation: 30–300 m.
Distribution
Ala., Ark., Conn., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Ky., La., Md., Mass., Miss., Mo., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Okla., Pa., R.I., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va.
Discussion
Cuscuta compacta var. efimbriata was treated as a synonym of C. compacta by D. F. Austin (1980). Yuncker recognized its presence in Florida (the type collection) and Arkansas; these plants apparently are populational variants, distinguished by infrastaminal scales shorter than the corolla tube, much reduced in size, bifid or winged, and reduced in marginal fimbriae.
Selected References
None.