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A close-up of the vines, flowers, and foliage of Dodder (Cuscuta sandwichiana; Hawaiian = Kauna'oa), an annual parasitic plant that wraps itself tightly around other plants and taps into the host's tissues for nutrients with its root tendrils (haustoria). Dodder possesses rudimentary scale-like leaves and numerous small white, bell-shaped flowers. Kanaha Beach, north Maui.
A spreading mat of Dodder (Cuscuta sandwichiana) parasitizes the vines of Beach Morning Glory (Ipomoea pes-caprae) at Kanaha Beach, north Maui. There are approximately 150 species of dodder (Cuscuta) all of which infect woody and herbaceous plants, including certain economically important crops. Dodder is an obligate parasite: its seeds germinate on the stems of host plants and then invade host stem tissues, from which carbohydrates are exported via an haustorium. Cuscuta has no chlorophyll, and its twining stems are orange, pale yellow, or off-white.
Dodder (Cuscuta sandwichiana) parasitizing a field of Beach Morning Glories (Ipomoea pes-caprae) behind the stabilized sand dunes at Kanaha Beach, north Maui.
The vines of a Dodder (Cuscuta sandwichiana) plant were so tightly wrapped around this Beach Morning Glory leaf that it tore the leaf from its parental vine when I tried to lift just the Dodder's flowers to the camera lens for this close-up shot. Kanaha Beach, north Maui.
Immature buds of the Hawaiian Dodder (Cuscuta sandwichiana). The buds will soon open as very small white flowers. Central Lana'i. (Identified by others working at this locality as Cassytha filiformis -- Kaunaoa pehu)
A close-up of the vines, flowers, and foliage of Dodder (Cuscuta sandwichiana; Hawaiian = Kauna'oa), an annual parasitic plant that wraps itself tightly around other plants and taps into the host's tissues for nutrients with its root tendrils (haustoria). Dodder possesses rudimentary scale-like leaves and numerous small white, bell-shaped flowers. Kanaha Beach, north Maui.
A close-up of the vines, flowers, and foliage of Dodder (Cuscuta sandwichiana; Hawaiian = Kauna'oa), an annual parasitic plant that wraps itself tightly around other plants and taps into the host's tissues for nutrients with its root tendrils (haustoria). Dodder possesses rudimentary scale-like leaves and numerous small white, bell-shaped flowers. Kanaha Beach, north Maui.
A close-up of the vines, flowers, and foliage of Dodder (Cuscuta sandwichiana; Hawaiian = Kauna'oa), an annual parasitic plant that wraps itself tightly around other plants and taps into the host's tissues for nutrients with its root tendrils (haustoria). Dodder possesses rudimentary scale-like leaves and numerous small white, bell-shaped flowers. Kanaha Beach, north Maui.
See photo in original gallery.
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