Castor vs small-seed alfalfa dodder

Ricinus communis compared with Cuscuta planiflora

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Castor	small-seed alfalfa dodder
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Malpighiales (Malpighiales)	Solanales (Solanales)
Family	Euphorbiaceae	Convolvulaceae
Genus	Ricinus	Cuscuta
Species	Ricinus communis	Cuscuta planiflora

Evolutionary Relationship

Castor and small-seed alfalfa dodder share a common ancestor at the Class level: Magnoliopsida. (Dicots)

View Class: Magnoliopsida

Conservation Status

Castor

NE — Not Evaluated

small-seed alfalfa dodder

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Castor	small-seed alfalfa dodder
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Castor

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, flooded grasslands and savannas, and montane grasslands and shrublands, among 7 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (33 countries), Asia (26 countries), Europe (23 countries), North America (15 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (14 countries), and South America (12 countries).

small-seed alfalfa dodder

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Asia (India) and Europe (8 countries).

Castor

The Castor (Ricinus communis) is a species in the genus Ricinus. Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, flooded grasslands and savannas, and montane grasslands and shrublands, among 7 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and hi