dodder

Description:

from a distance these plants looked like heaps of dead grass but closer inspection revealed masses of tangled golden threads with clumps of pale whitish flowers and orange globular fruits (globose capsule usually containing 4 seeds). The green leaves belong to the host plants which the dodder is parasitising; it has no chlorophyll or green tissues of its own

Habitat:

Bushveld on sandy soil; relatively hot, dry environment with erratic summer rainfall (450mm) and dry sunny winters when the temperature occasionally drop below zero C at night

Notes:

This Cuscuta species was parasitising a prostrate summer weedy species Tribulus terrestris. Dodder is the common name used for all of the 8 species from this genus recorded for southern Africa.