DODDER. LOVE-VINE. GOLDEN-THREAD.
Cuscuta, Tourn. Morning-Glory Family.
Leafless plants with filiform, yellow or orange-colored stems; germinating in the soil; soon breaking off and becoming parasitic upon other plants. Flowers.—Small; white; densely clustered. Calyx.—Usually five-cleft or parted. Corolla.—Tubular or campanulate; four- or five-toothed or lobed. Stamens.—On the corolla, alternate with its lobes. Filaments with fringed scales below. Ovary.—Globose; two-celled. Styles two.
. . . "while everywhere The love-vine spreads a silken snare, The tangles of her yellow hair."
Though popularly known as the love-vine, because of its clinging habit, it must be confessed that this pernicious plant in no respect merits the title. On the other hand, it might with propriety be called the octopus of the plant world. If you break a branch from a plant which has become its victim, you can see how it has twined itself about it, drawing its very life-blood from it at every turn, by means of ugly, wartlike suckers.
It is no wonder, however, that people are generally deceived as to the moral character of this plant—for it is indeed a beautiful sight, when it spreads its golden tangle over the chamisal, wild buckwheat, and other plants, often completely hiding them from view.
We have a number of species. C. salina often covers our salt marshes with brilliant patches of orange.