Taxon: Cuscuta americana L.

Summary

Genus:

Cuscuta

Family:

Convolvulaceae

Tribe:

Cuscuteae

Nomen number:

430203

Place of publication:

Sp. pl. 1:124. 1753

Typification:

View in Linnean Typification Project

Verified:

01/21/2003 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

0 (0 active, 0 available) in National Plant Germplasm System.

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

No images

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. et al. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78:1-581.
Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45
Costea, M. et al. 2012. Convolvulaceae of Sonora. Mexico. II: Cuscuta. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 6:532-534.
Costea, M. Digital atlas of Cuscuta (Convolvulaceae)(on-line resource).
Costea, M. 2011. Review of Convolvulaceae (Cuscuta) data for World Economic Plants, ed. 2. pers. comm. via e-mail on 20 Dec.
Harling, G. & B. Sparre, eds. 1973-. Flora of Ecuador.
Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
Jørgensen, P. M. & S. León-Yánez, eds. 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75
Joyeux, M. et al. 1995. Screening of antiradical, antilipoperoxidant and hepatoprotective effects of nine plant extracts used in Caribbean folk medicine. Phytotherapy Res. 9:228-230.
Long, R. W. & O. Lakela. 1971. A flora of tropical Florida.
McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Wunderlin, R. P. 1998. Guide to the vascular plants of Florida
Yuncker, T. G. 1965. Cuscuta. In: Britton, N. L. et al., eds. ser. 1; C. T. Rogerson, ed. ser. 2, North American flora ser. 2, 4:27. Note: ser. 1, 1905-1957; ser. 2, 1954-1972
Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.

Common names

Language	Name	Alternate name	note	seq	Citation
English	American dodder			1	Costea, M. 2011. Review of Convolvulaceae (Cuscuta) data for World Economic Plants, ed. 2. pers. comm. via e-mail on 20 Dec.
Spanish	fideo			2	Costea, M. 2011. Review of Convolvulaceae (Cuscuta) data for World Economic Plants, ed. 2. pers. comm. via e-mail on 20 Dec.

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Baja California (Norte)		Costea, M. et al. 2012. Convolvulaceae of Sonora. Mexico. II: Cuscuta. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 6:532-534.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Baja California Sur		Costea, M. et al. 2012. Convolvulaceae of Sonora. Mexico. II: Cuscuta. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 6:532-534.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Sinaloa		Costea, M. et al. 2012. Convolvulaceae of Sonora. Mexico. II: Cuscuta. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 6:532-534.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Sonora		Costea, M. et al. 2012. Convolvulaceae of Sonora. Mexico. II: Cuscuta. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 6:532-534.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Florida	s.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Chiapas		Costea, M. et al. 2012. Convolvulaceae of Sonora. Mexico. II: Cuscuta. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 6:532-534.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Colima		Costea, M. et al. 2012. Convolvulaceae of Sonora. Mexico. II: Cuscuta. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 6:532-534.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Guerrero		Costea, M. et al. 2012. Convolvulaceae of Sonora. Mexico. II: Cuscuta. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 6:532-534.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Jalisco		Costea, M. et al. 2012. Convolvulaceae of Sonora. Mexico. II: Cuscuta. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 6:532-534.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	México		Costea, M. et al. 2012. Convolvulaceae of Sonora. Mexico. II: Cuscuta. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 6:532-534.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Michoacán de Ocampo		Costea, M. et al. 2012. Convolvulaceae of Sonora. Mexico. II: Cuscuta. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 6:532-534.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Nayarit		Costea, M. et al. 2012. Convolvulaceae of Sonora. Mexico. II: Cuscuta. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 6:532-534.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Oaxaca		Costea, M. et al. 2012. Convolvulaceae of Sonora. Mexico. II: Cuscuta. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 6:532-534.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Puebla		Costea, M. et al. 2012. Convolvulaceae of Sonora. Mexico. II: Cuscuta. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 6:532-534.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave		Costea, M. et al. 2012. Convolvulaceae of Sonora. Mexico. II: Cuscuta. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 6:532-534.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Yucatán		Costea, M. et al. 2012. Convolvulaceae of Sonora. Mexico. II: Cuscuta. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 6:532-534.
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Anguilla			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Antigua and Barbuda	Antigua		Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Bahamas
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Barbados			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Dominica			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Grenada			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Guadeloupe	North St. Martin		Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Martinique			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Montserrat			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Netherlands Antilles	Saba
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Netherlands Antilles	St. Eustatius
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	St. Kitts and Nevis	Saint Kitts		Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	St. Lucia			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	St. Vincent and Grenadines			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Virgin Islands, U.S.		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. et al. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78:1-581.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Virgin Islands, U.S.		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. et al. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78:1-581.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Virgin Islands, U.S.		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. et al. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78:1-581.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Virgin Islands (British)	Tortola		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. et al. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78:1-581.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Virgin Islands (British)	Virgin Gorda		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. et al. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78:1-581.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina	Jujuy		Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Ecuador	Guayas		Jørgensen, P. M. & S. León-Yánez, eds. 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Ecuador	Los Ríos		Jørgensen, P. M. & S. León-Yánez, eds. 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Ecuador	Manabí		Jørgensen, P. M. & S. León-Yánez, eds. 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Peru			Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45

Native
Northern America

SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Florida (s.)]
NORTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Baja California (Norte), Baja California Sur, Sinaloa, Sonora]
SOUTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Chiapas, Colima, Guerrero, Jalisco, México, Michoacán de Ocampo, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Puebla, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, Yucatán]

Southern America

CARIBBEAN: Anguilla, Netherlands Antilles [Saba, St. Eustatius], Antigua and Barbuda [Antigua], Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Guadeloupe [North St. Martin], Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis [Saint Kitts], St. Lucia, Montserrat, Martinique, United States [Virgin Islands, U.S., Virgin Islands, U.S., Virgin Islands, U.S.], St. Vincent and Grenadines, Virgin Islands (British) [Tortola, Virgin Gorda]
BRAZIL: Brazil
WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Ecuador [Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí], Peru
SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina [Jujuy]

Reference(s)

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. et al. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78:1-581.
Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45
Costea, M. et al. 2012. Convolvulaceae of Sonora. Mexico. II: Cuscuta. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 6:532-534.
Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
Jørgensen, P. M. & S. León-Yánez, eds. 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75
Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Reference
Materials	tannin/dyestuff	Costea, M. 2011. Review of Convolvulaceae (Cuscuta) data for World Economic Plants, ed. 2. pers. comm. via e-mail on 20 Dec.
Medicines	folklore	McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Weed	parasite	Costea, M. 2011. Review of Convolvulaceae (Cuscuta) data for World Economic Plants, ed. 2. pers. comm. via e-mail on 20 Dec.

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=430203. Accessed 27 October 2026.