Alfalfa dodder vs Common corncockle

Cuscuta approximata compared with Agrostemma githago

Key Differences

• Alfalfa dodder is Not Evaluated while Common corncockle is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Alfalfa dodder	Common corncockle
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Solanales (Solanales)	Caryophyllales (Caryophyllales)
Family	Convolvulaceae	Caryophyllaceae
Genus	Cuscuta	Agrostemma
Species	Cuscuta approximata	Agrostemma githago

Evolutionary Relationship

Alfalfa dodder and Common corncockle share a common ancestor at the Class level: Magnoliopsida. (Dicots)

Conservation Status

Alfalfa dodder

NE — Not Evaluated

Common corncockle

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Alfalfa dodder	Common corncockle
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Alfalfa dodder

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (China, Tajikistan), Europe (Hungary, Sweden), North America (Canada, United States), and Oceania and the Pacific (Australia).

Common corncockle

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including montane grasslands and shrublands, tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, and temperate coniferous forests, among 13 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Lesotho), Asia (7 countries), Europe (24 countries), North America (Canada, Mexico, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Brazil, Chile). Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Alfalfa dodder

The Alfalfa dodder (Cuscuta approximata) is a species in the genus Cuscuta. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Common corncockle

<em>Agrostemma githago</em>, commonly known as common corncockle, is an annual flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae. Once a widespread weed of cereal crops across Europe, Asia, and beyond, this species is now Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to the dramatic decline caused by modern agricultural practices, particularly improved grain cleaning and herbicide use. Corncockle is a tall, slender plant covered in silky white hairs, bearing large, solitary pink to purple flowers with distinctive dark veining. Its seeds contain toxic saponin compounds called githagins, which historically contaminated grain supplies. The species now survives primarily in wildflower conservation areas, seed banks, and traditional farmland conservation schemes. It typically grows in open, disturbed arable soils with full sun exposure. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 5 countries:

🇦🇺 Australia 🇨🇦 Canada 🇨🇳 China 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States