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Cuscuta denticulata

Engelm.

Desert Dodder

G4Apparently Secure Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.158497
Element CodePDCUS010H1
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderSolanales
FamilyConvolvulaceae
GenusCuscuta
Synonyms
Cuscuta denticulata var. denticulata
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
This record is for the narrow treatment of Cuscuta denticulata, excluding C. nevadensis and C. veatchii as distinct species, as recognized by Costea et al. (2005) and Costea and Nesom in FNA (2023, vol. 14). Other treatments (e.g., Kartesz 1994 and 1999) include C. nevadensis and C. veatchii (orthographic variant C. vetchii) in a broader C. denticulata. Cuscuta denticulata var. denticulata as recognized by Kartesz (1994, 1999) is equivalent to this narrow concept of C. denticulata.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-06-26
Change Date2024-06-26
Edition Date2024-06-26
Edition AuthorsGRIES, D. (1985), rev. Johnson, J. (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank Reasons
Cuscuta denticulata is an annual vine known from the western United States and Mexico. With a large range extent, over 100 occurrences, and broad habitat preferences for abundant habitat, this species is apparently secure.
Range Extent Comments
Cuscuta denticulata grows in the western United States; it is most abundant in the Mojave Desert of California and Nevada but extends as far east as Colorado, north to Washington, and south to Baja California (FNA 2023, GBIF 2024). Range extent was estimated at 890,000 sq km using herbarium specimens collected between 1993 and 2024, and estimated at 1,100,000 sq km when historical collections are included (GBIF 2024, SEINet 2024).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium records and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024, it is estimated that there are more than 100 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024). The historical specimen records suggest this species is more common and widespread than recent collections show (SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Cuscuta denticulata is potentially threatened by development, road maintenance, invasive species, and other threats in some places.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Cuscuta denticulata grows in desert shrublands, sagebrush steppe, Joshua-tree woodlands, pinyon-juniper woodlands, and creosote-bush scrub (Cronquist et. al. 1984, Wildflower Center 2020, FNA 2023).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandWoodland - HardwoodShrubland/chaparral
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
WashingtonS1Yes
IdahoS1Yes
NevadaS3Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
UtahSNRYes
ArizonaS2Yes
ColoradoS1Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undeterminedUnknownUnknownUnknown

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Plant Characteristics
DurationANNUAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
Nevada (1)
AreaForestAcres
Boundary Peak (NV)Inyo National Forest21,851
References (14)
  1. Costea, M., G.L. Nesom, and F.J. Tardif. 2005. Taxonomic status of <i>Cuscuta nevadensis</i> and <i>C. veatchii</i> (Convolvulaceae) in North America. Brittonia 57:264–272.
  2. Cronquist, A., A. H. Holmgren, N. H. Holmgren, J. L. Reveal, and P. K. Holmgren. Intermountain Flora, Vascular Plants of the Intermountain West, U.S.A. Volume Four: Subclass Asteridae (except Asteracea). The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, N.Y. 573 pp.
  3. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2023. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 14. Magnoliophyta: Gentianaceae to Hydroleaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiv + 505 pp.
  4. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  5. Hickman, J. C., ed. 1993. The Jepson manual: Higher plants of California. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA. 1400 pp.
  6. Idaho Native Plant Society. 1993. Federal candidate (C1 and C2) and listed rare plants of Idaho. unpaginated.
  7. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  8. Kartesz, J.T. 1988. A flora of Nevada. Ph.D. dissertation. Univ. of Nevada, Reno. 3 volumes. 1729 pp.
  9. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  10. Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
  11. Kartesz, J.T. 2003. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. Draft April 2003 (including county distribution). North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
  12. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).
  13. Welsh, S.L., N.D. Atwood, S. Goodrich, and L.C. Higgins (eds.) 1993. A Utah flora. 2nd edition. Brigham Young Univ., Provo, Utah. 986 pp.
  14. Wildflower Center. 2021. Native Plant Database: <i>Cuscuta denticulata</i>. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, University of Texas, Austin. https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CUDE2