First Report of Eastern Dodder (Cuscuta monogyna) Parasitizing Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) in Armenia (original) (raw)

Cuscuta monogyna Vahl. (Convolvulaceae, subgenus Monogynella) is an aerial (stem) hemi-parasitic noxious weed attributed mostly to the Mediterranean region, SouthEastern Europe, and Central and Western Asia. The main botanical features of Eastern dodder are: i) stem pink, purple, or brown, 1 to 2 mm, rootless; ii) inflorescences loosely or densely spicate-paniculate; iii) flowers subsessile or pedicellate, lobes 5, white, pinkish to purplish, 3 to 4(6) mm long, pedicel 1.5-8.0 mm long, stamens 5, filaments 1-2 mm long; iv) calyx lobes 5, 2-3 х 1.5-2.5 mm long; v) ovary globular to conical, 1.5-2.0 mm × 2-2.5 mm, style 1, stigmas 2, capitate; vi) capsule conical, 5 to 8 mm long, with usually 1 to 4 subcordate seeds, ca. 3 mm (Piwowarczyk et al. 2018). It has diverse host preferences, though it has been recorded parasitizing a broad range of hosts, mostly wild and cultivated trees, shrubs or vines (Vitis,