Cuscuta umbrosa

Stems yellow to orange, coarse. Inflorescences dense, paniculiform; bracts at base of clusters 1, at base of pedicels 0(or 1), ovate to broadly triangular, membranous, margins entire, apex acute to obtuse. Pedicels 0.9–7 mm. Flowers 5-merous, 2–3.5(–4.4) mm, membranous, not papillate; calyx brownish, campanulate, to 1/2 corolla tube length, divided 1/2–2/3 its length, not reticulate or shiny, lobes ovate, bases overlapping, margins entire or serrulate, midvein not carinate, apex obtuse to rounded; corolla creamy white, drying creamy brownish, 2–4 mm, tube campanulate, 1.7–2.3(–2.7) mm, not saccate, lobes spreading to reflexed, ovate to broadly triangular-ovate, 1/4–1/3 corolla tube length, margins entire, apex rounded to obtuse, straight; infrastaminal scales broadly oblong, 1.2–2 mm, (1/3–)1/2 corolla tube length, bridged at 0.5–1 mm, ± truncate to 2-lobed apically, fimbriate mostly in distal 1/2, fimbriae 0.2–0.6 mm; stamens exserted, shorter than corolla lobes; filaments 0.4–0.7 mm; anthers 0.3–0.6 × 0.2–0.4 mm; styles slender, 0.3–0.9 mm, 1/4 ovary length, slightly thickened at base. Capsules ovoid to globose-conic or subobpyriform, 3.5–6.5(–7) × 3–5(–6) mm, raised and thickened around relatively small interstylar aperture, apex rarely narrowed into neck to 1 mm, not translucent, surrounding capsule or capped by withered corolla, indehiscent. Seeds 3 or 4, obcompressed to obscurely angled, broadly ellipsoid to obovoid, 1.8–2.5(–2.8) × 1.5–1.6 mm, hilum region subterminal.

Phenology: Flowering Jul–Oct.
Habitat: Hosts: Ampelopsis, Clematis, Convolvulus, Epilobium, Humulus, Impatiens, Lactuca, Linum, Salix, Scutellaria, Solidago, Symphoricarpos, Urtica, and others.
Elevation: 50–2100 m.

Alta., Man., Ont., Sask., Colo., Idaho, Ill., Iowa, Kans., Minn., Mont., Nebr., N.Mex., N.Dak., S.Dak., Utah, Wis., Wyo.

Discussion

Navajo Indians of the southwestern United States added seeds of Cuscuta umbrosa to soups or stews (E. F. Castetter 1935).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa