Cuscuta campestris

Golden Dodder
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Solanales
Family:	Convolvulaceae
Genus:	Cuscuta
Species:	C. campestris
Binomial name
Cuscuta campestris Yuncker

Cuscuta campestris is a parasitic plant which belongs to the family Convolvulaceae, but was formerly classified in the family Cuscutaceae. It is a parasite of a wide range of herbaceous plants but is most important as a pest of lucerne and other legumes. It is native to North America, but has become a widespread weed in many countries.

Its common names include 'large-seeded alfalfa dodder' in the USA and 'golden dodder' in Australia. It has been confused in some recent literature with Cuscuta pentagona Engelmann, but the differences between the two species are clear ^[1].

References

1. ^ Costea, M., Nesom, G.L. & Stefanovic, S. (2006) Taxonomy of the Cuscuta pentagona complex (Convolvulaceae) in North America. Sida 22(1): 151-175.