Family: Lauraceae
Author: L.
Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 35 (1753)
Year: 1753
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Cassytha
Vegetable: Unknown
Observations: Tropics & Subtropics
Description
Dodder-laurel, scientifically known as Cassytha filiformis, is a notable plant commonly found thriving in the warm climates of the tropics and subtropics. This intriguing species is a member of the Lauraceae family, renowned for its distinctive parasitic behavior. It was first officially documented in “Sp. Pl.: 35” in the year 1753 by the botanist Carl Linnaeus, often abbreviated as “L.”
One of the most striking features of Dodder-laurel is its growth pattern; it lacks typical foliage and instead appears as a mass of yellowish-green, thread-like stems that entwine themselves around host plants. This plant relies on other vegetation for nourishment, deriving nutrients directly from its hosts, a characteristic trait of parasitic flora.
Dodder-laurel’s habitat spans across numerous tropical and subtropical regions, demonstrating a remarkable adaptability to various environmental conditions. Often found in open forests, shrublands, and coastal areas, this plant can significantly impact the health and growth of its host plants, making it a subject of research interest in ecological studies.
Despite its parasitic nature, Cassytha filiformis has been studied for its potential benefits in traditional medicine and ecological balance. Various cultures have utilized it for its purported medicinal properties, while ecologists study its role within its native habitats to understand its interactions with other species and the overall ecosystem.
Understanding Dodder-laurel contributes to a broader comprehension of parasitic plant species and their intricate relationships within various ecosystems. This unique plant continues to intrigue scientists and botanists, prompting ongoing research and exploration into its life cycle and ecological impact.
Common Names
Msa: cemar batu, cemar hantu
Eng: bush-dodder, devil’s gut, dodder-laurel, false dodder, lovevine, seashore-dodder, woevine
Por: cipó-chumbo
Fra: liane ficelle
Khm: វល្លិមាស
En: Dodder-laurel, Woevine, Lovevine, Bush-dodder, False dodder, Seashore-dodder, Devil’s gut, Devil’s-Gut, Eastern Hemlock-spruce, Fine-stem Lovevine, Love Vine, Yellow Dodder, Yellow love, Love-vine
Bm: Alajɔ
Bn: সীতার চুল
Zh: Wu gen teng, 无根藤, 無根草
Fr: Liane ficelle, Cassute filiforme, Liane Foutafout, Foutafout, Foute à foute, Liane jaune, Liane sans feuille, Liane sans fin, Plante marine
Km: វល្លិមាស
Ms: Cemar batu, Cemar hantu
Pt: Cipó-chumbo
Pt-br: Cipó-chumbo
Sd: آڪاس ول
Es: Cabellos de ángel, Bejuco de fideo, Laurel bobo, Fideillo, Bejuco dorado, Fideos, Tente en el aire
Su: Sanggalangit
Zh-tw: 無根草
Ta: உழிஞைக் கொடி
Te: ఆకాశవల్లి
Th: สังวาลย์พระอินทร์
To: Fatai
Zh-hant: 無根藤
Synonyms
- Cassytha corniculata (Burm.f.)
- Cassytha filiformis f. pycnantha (Domin)
- Cassytha brasiliensis (Mart. ex Nees)
- Cassytha guineensis var. livingstonii (Meisn.)
- Cassytha archboldiana (C.K.Allen)
- Spironema aphylla (Raf.)
- Volutella aphylla (Forssk.)
- Rumputris fasciculata (Raf.)
- Cassytha timoriensis (Gand.)
- Cassytha zeylanica (Gaertn.)
- Cassytha novoguineensis (Kaneh. & Hatus.)
- Cassytha senegalensis (A.Chev.)
- Cassytha dissitiflora (Meisn.)
- Cassytha americana var. puberula (Meisn.)
- Cassytha paradoxae (Proctor)
- Cassytha filiformis var. subpubescens (Meisn.)
- Cassytha americana (Nees)
- Cassytha aphylla (Raeusch.)
- Calodium cochinchinensis (Lour.)
- Cassytha filiformis subsp. guineensis ((Schumach. & Thonn.) De Wild.)
- Cassytha filiformis var. puberula ((Meisn.) León & Alain)
- Cassytha americana var. brachystachya (Meisn.)
- Cassytha americana var. brasiliensis ((Mart. ex Nees) Meisn.)
- Cassytha filiformis var. pseudopubescens (Domin)
- Cassytha macrocarpa (Guillaumin)
- Cassytha guineensis (Schumach. & Thonn.)
Distribution
- Aldabra (native)
- Andaman Is. (native)
- Angola (native)
- Bahamas (native)
- Bangladesh (native)
- Belize (native)
- Benin (native)
- Bolivia (native)
- Botswana (native)
- Brazil North (native)
- Brazil Northeast (native)
- Brazil South (native)
- Brazil Southeast (native)
- Brazil West-Central (native)
- Burkina (native)
- Burundi (native)
- Cambodia (native)
- Cameroon (native)
- Cape Provinces (native)
- Caroline Is. (native)
- Cayman Is. (native)
- Central African Repu (native)
- Chad (native)
- Chagos Archipelago (native)
- China South-Central (native)
- China Southeast (native)
- Cocos (Keeling) Is. (native)
- Colombia (native)
- Comoros (native)
- Congo (native)
- Cook Is. (native)
- Costa Rica (native)
- Cuba (native)
- Dominican Republic (native)
- Ethiopia (native)
- Fiji (native)
- Florida (native)
- French Guiana (native)
- Gabon (native)
- Gambia (native)
- Ghana (native)
- Gilbert Is. (native)
- Guatemala (native)
- Guinea (native)
- Guinea-Bissau (native)
- Guyana (native)
- Hainan (native)
- Haiti (native)
- Hawaii (native)
- Honduras (native)
- India (native)
- Ivory Coast (native)
- Jamaica (native)
- Japan (native)
- Jawa (native)
- Kazan-retto (native)
- Kenya (native)
- KwaZulu-Natal (native)
- Laccadive Is. (native)
- Laos (native)
- Leeward Is. (native)
- Lesser Sunda Is. (native)
- Liberia (native)
- Line Is. (native)
- Madagascar (native)
- Malawi (native)
- Malaya (native)
- Maldives (native)
- Mali (native)
- Maluku (native)
- Marianas (native)
- Marquesas (native)
- Marshall Is. (native)
- Mauritius (native)
- Mozambique (native)
- Mozambique Channel I (native)
- Myanmar (native)
- Namibia (native)
- Nansei-shoto (native)
- Nauru (native)
- Netherlands Antilles (native)
- New Caledonia (native)
- New Guinea (native)
- New South Wales (native)
- Nicaragua (native)
- Nicobar Is. (native)
- Nigeria (native)
- Niue (native)
- Northern Provinces (native)
- Northern Territory (native)
- Ogasawara-shoto (native)
- Panamá (native)
- Philippines (native)
- Phoenix Is. (native)
- Pitcairn Is. (native)
- Puerto Rico (native)
- Queensland (native)
- Rodrigues (native)
- Rwanda (native)
- Réunion (native)
- Samoa (native)
- Saudi Arabia (native)
- Senegal (native)
- Seychelles (native)
- Sierra Leone (native)
- Society Is. (native)
- Solomon Is. (native)
- Somalia (native)
- South China Sea (native)
- Sri Lanka (native)
- Sulawesi (native)
- Suriname (native)
- Swaziland (native)
- Taiwan (native)
- Tanzania (native)
- Togo (native)
- Tokelau-Manihiki (native)
- Tonga (native)
- Trinidad-Tobago (native)
- Tuamotu (native)
- Tubuai Is. (native)
- Turks-Caicos Is. (native)
- Tuvalu (native)
- Uganda (native)
- Vanuatu (native)
- Venezuela (native)
- Vietnam (native)
- Wallis-Futuna Is. (native)
- Western Australia (native)
- Windward Is. (native)
- Yemen (native)
- Zambia (native)
- Zaïre (native)
- Zimbabwe (native)
Additional Images
Bark
Taken Jan 1, 1970 by Endemia – Bernard Suprin (cc-by-nc)
Taken Aug 28, 2017 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain PIRY (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 28, 2017 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain PIRY (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 28, 2017 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain PIRY (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 19, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Manuel TRANCHANT (cc-by-sa)
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Habit
Taken Mar 3, 2017 by Tela Botanica − Liliane ROUBAUDI (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 3, 2017 by Tela Botanica − Liliane ROUBAUDI (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 19, 2018 by laurence comte (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 28, 2017 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain PIRY (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 3, 2017 by Tela Botanica − Liliane ROUBAUDI (cc-by-sa)
Flower
Taken Jan 1, 1900 by EOL − Bart Wursten (cc-by-nc)
Taken Mar 19, 2018 by laurence comte (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 29, 2019 by evlan evydyl (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 28, 2017 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain PIRY (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 19, 2018 by laurence comte (cc-by-sa)
Fruit
Taken Mar 3, 2017 by Tela Botanica − Liliane ROUBAUDI (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 1, 2019 by Olivier Douhaud (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 3, 2017 by Tela Botanica − Liliane ROUBAUDI (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 3, 2017 by Tela Botanica − Liliane ROUBAUDI (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 3, 2017 by Tela Botanica − Liliane ROUBAUDI (cc-by-sa)
Leaf
Taken Nov 15, 2010 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 15, 2010 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 15, 2022 by Rich Bulger (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 29, 2022 by Sudesh Gunarathna (cc-by-sa)
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/3033999)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:463202-1)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Cassytha filiformis L.)