Vampire Plants

While there are many different types of parasitic plants, I will focus on one in particular- The Dodder. This plant is an obligate holoparasite and is of great significance in the agricultural community.

The Dodder is a parasitic herb composed mainly of twining yellow-orange stems and clusters of small (3mm), waxy, pinkish-white flowers (Watson and Dallwitz, 2000). There are many species generally known as dodders, but there is some disagreement on the genus classification. Some will classify all species a

Kelly, C K, Horning, K. “Acquisition order and resource value in Cuscuta attenuata”. Ecology 96.23 (November 9, 1999); 13219-13222.

Unknown Author. Dodder. Aug. 8, 2000. University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program. Oct. 30, 2002. .

Infestation can cause more problems than just depleting the plant of nutrients; it can serve to transfer diseases to the many plants that one dodder can infect simultaneously. The basis of drawing nutrients from a host plant is tapping into its conductive tissues; this suggests that molecules that are solvated can travel from the dodder into the host plant, as well as into the dodder from the host (Hibberd and Jeschke 2001). This intimate joining of the two plants makes the dodder a great carrier for “yellow diseases”. These diseases were first thought to be viral in nature, but were discovered to be caused by Phytoplasma. Dodders can cause many of these diseases, including pear decline, aster yellows, tomato big bud, vinca virescence and elm phloem necrosis (Ristau 1998). Dodders can also transfer bacteria that can be harmful to the host plant. A good example of this is the rickettsia-like bacteria that inhabit in the phloem tissue.

While most farmers and gardeners view dodder as a nuisance, there have been groups throughout history that looked to it for medicinal value. The natives of what is now the Los Angeles Basin in California, The Tongva people, still use varieties of dodder in many forms in their daily life. They call the weed “AHIKO AHEN” and use it to relieve asthma, stop nosebleeds, induce vomiting, as a contraceptive, and to treat spider bites (Maldonado 2000). Dodder seeds are used in many natural health supplements, such as the “Peaceful Extract” available from dragoneggs.net that is intended to help increase one’s energy flow.

Ristau, R J. Dodder no. 3.112. Crop Series- Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Sep. 1998.

The nature of this plant has engendered numerous descriptive names through the ages. It has been known as love vine, strangleweed, pull-down, hellbine, Beggarweed, hairweed, devil's-hair, devil's-guts, devil's-ringlet, goldthread, hailweed, and several more similarly unflattering names. According to the Ancient Pathway (2001), the dodder has magical properties as an herb. This, and its tendency to leach the life from its host plants, helps to explain the variety of names given to this plant.

Some topics in this essay:
Watson Dallwitz, Et Al, Kelly Horning, Ancient Pathway, Botany November, California Tongva, Phytoplasma Dodders, Kelly Clark, Cuscuta Grammica, Hibberd Jeschke, host plant, host plants, ristau 1998, dodder plant, oct 30 2002, 30 2002, kelly horning, cuscuta grammica, plant cuscuta, et al, watson dallwitz, dodder plant parasite, heat shock protein, low-molecular-weight heat shock, impossible remove dodder,