Cassytha filiformis
Cassytha filiformis
Safety & Hazards
None known
Cultivation Details
A plant of the lowland tropics, it is found both in moist and dry regions[1]. Dodder laurel can be partially or totally parasitic. When the stems are green they contain chlorophyll and are able to photosynthesize and thus do not depend entirely upon the host for nutrient[1]. The green colour is often more pronounced on young stems[1]. Stems that have turned yellow or orange no longer contain chlorophyll and are then totally dependant upon the host[1]. Plants attach themselves to their host by means of haustoria, structures that penetrate the host and are able to draw out water and nutrients[1]. At least part of this plants ability to spread so far around the globe must lie in its non-specialisation of host, being able to draw sustenance from a very wide range of herbs, shrubs and trees[1]. For example, 42 species of host plants have been identified in India, 36 species from 25 families have been identified in the Philippines and 81 species from 45 families in the Bahamas[1]. Plants can be found flowering and fruiting throughout the year[1]. The fruits are dispersed by sea currents and by birds[1].
Propagation
Seed - has an inbuilt dormancy and only germinates after it has been softened by microbial action[1]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Cassytha+filiformis>
Pollinators
Data unavailable
References
- [1]Plant Resources of Southeast Asia — http://proseanet.org/ ↩︎Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
- [2]Flora of China — Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. · 1994 · http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ ↩︎An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
- [3]Traditional Vegetables in Benin — Achigan-Dako E. Et al · Darwin Initiative; International Foundation for Science · 2009 ↩︎Issued as a PDF on the Internet, it contains basic information on over 250 species of plants used for food in Benin.
- [4]Dictionary of Economic Plants. — Uphof. J. C. Th. · Weinheim · 1959 · ISBN - ↩︎An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.