Convolvulaceae FAMILY

Cuscuta reflexa

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Cuscuta reflexa is a climbing plant with slender stems that twine into the surrounding vegetation for support. The plant is a total parasite and does not produce chlorophyll, instead obtaining nutrients from a host plant by means of suckers. Plants can be very vigorous, sometimes growing in dense masses, covering whole treecrowns, or covering lower vegetation like a net[ 451 Title Flora Malesiana Series 1 Publication Author Various Website http://www.archive.org Publisher Nationaal Herbarium Nederiand, Universiteit Leiden branch Year 0 ISBN Description A massive treatment of the plants of the Malaysian Archipelago. Much of it has been made available to download from the Internet ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. Cuscuta species can severely affect the plants they parasitize - when this involves plants sown as crops, yields can be badly impacted. Many Cuscuta species, therefore, are classified as weeds and sometimes have controls over their movements.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeAsia - Himalayas from Afghanistan to eastern China, south through India and Indochina to Indonesia (Java).

HabitatParasitic on Desmodium spp, Rubus spp and Viburnum spp at elevations from 1,700 - 2,900 metres in Kashmir[ 145 Title Forest Flora of Srinagar. Publication Author Singh. Dr. G. and Kachroo. Prof. Dr. P. Publisher Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh Year 1976 ISBN - Description A good flora of the western Himalayas but poorly illustrated. Some information on plant uses. ]. It is also found on Zizyphus jujube and Vitex negundo and has been known to kill these plants[ 146 Title A Manual of Indian Timbers. Publication Author Gamble. J. S. Publisher Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh Year 1972 ISBN - Description First written in the 19th century, but still a classic, giving a lot of information on the uses and habitats of Indian trees. Not for the casual reader. ].