Blue star vs Greater dodder

Amsonia orientalis compared with Cuscuta europaea

Key Differences

• Blue star is Critically Endangered while Greater dodder is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Blue star	Greater dodder
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Gentianales (Gentianales)	Solanales (Solanales)
Family	Apocynaceae	Convolvulaceae
Genus	Amsonia	Cuscuta
Species	Amsonia orientalis	Cuscuta europaea

Evolutionary Relationship

Blue star and Greater dodder share a common ancestor at the Class level: Magnoliopsida. (Dicots)

Conservation Status

Blue star

CR — Critically Endangered

Greater dodder

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Blue star	Greater dodder
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Blue star

Habitat

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

Greater dodder

Habitat

Inhabits tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests within the Indomalayan biogeographic realm.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Bhutan, Turkey), Europe (5 countries), and North America (United States).

Blue star

The Blue star (Amsonia orientalis) is a species in the genus Amsonia. It is currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.