Common Name:

General Information

Cuscuta australis is a climbing plant with slender stems that twine into the surrounding vegetation for support. The plant is a total parasite and does not produce chlorophyll, instead obtaining nutrients from a host plant by means of suckers[]
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. The seeds are traded in Indonesia for medicinal use - the seeds having sometimes been brought from China[].
The plant is considered to be a pest in Malaysia, where it can parasitize cultivated crops[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Southern Europe, through Turkey and the Caucasus to Japan and China; New Guinea, eastern and western Australia; eastern Africa, west tropical Africa

Habitat

Found mostly on marsh plants[]. Often on herbaceous or shrubby plants such as Fabaceae, Asteraceae (Artemisia), Verbenaceae (Vitex); at elevations from 100 - 2,000 metres[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Annual Climber
Height	0.00 m
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Cuscuta australis has a very wide range, being found from the warmer regions of the temperate zone in Europe and Asia to tropicl regions of Africa, southeast Asia and New Guinea.
The plant grows best in a sunny position, in deep shade the coiling of the stems and attachment to the host is inhibited[].
Cuscuta species are obligate parasites with only rudimentary vestiges of leaves and roots. They do not produce chlorophyll and so are totally dependant upon their host for nutrimentt[].
Cuscuta reproduces by seed and when this germinates the seedling has only a few days in which to find a host before its food reserves run out and it dies. Assuming it finds a host, the seedling then attaches itself by means of suckers (called haustoria) which penetrate the host and obtain nutriment. The stem below the first point of attachment then dies and the Cuscuta plant has no nore direct contact with the soil. The Cuscuta then twines around its host, often eventually enveloping it and also spreading into suitable hosts nearby. Some Cuscuta species have fairly specific requirements for a host, but many are able to thrive on a wide range of suitable hosts. This species is most commonly found growing on plants in the families Fabaceae, Asteraceae and Verbenaceae[, ].
The life cycle is generally annual, though plants can be propagated by stem cuttings, and sometimes plants can persist as a perennial on a perennial host - even when all visible stems have been killed by winter frost, it is capable of regeneration from the embedded haustoria[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The whole plant and the seeds have a number of medicinal uses[].
The seeds are used in traditional medicine in Indonesia, Softening properties are attributed to them[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - it needs to be sown close to a suitable host. Seed requires a minimum of 10°c to germinate, optimal germination is around 20 - 30°c, Some seed has a hard seed coat and will not germinate until this has gradually worn away, a process that can take a year or more[].
Cuttings[]. Stem fragments - which can be detached and distributed intentionally or otherwise by humans, other animals or machinery - can produce new haustoria and attach themselves to a new host[].