Clover Dodder vs cuscuta-do-linho

Cuscuta epithymum compared with Cuscuta epilinum

Key Differences

• Clover Dodder is Endangered while cuscuta-do-linho is Extinct.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Clover Dodder	cuscuta-do-linho
Kingdom same	Plantae (plantas)	Plantae (plantas)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order same	Solanales (Solanales)	Solanales (Solanales)
Family same	Convolvulaceae	Convolvulaceae
Genus same	Cuscuta	Cuscuta
Species	Cuscuta epithymum	Cuscuta epilinum

Evolutionary Relationship

Clover Dodder and cuscuta-do-linho share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Cuscuta.

Conservation Status

Clover Dodder

EN — Endangered

cuscuta-do-linho

EX — Extinct

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Clover Dodder	cuscuta-do-linho
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Clover Dodder

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, montane grasslands and shrublands, and Mediterranean forests and woodlands, among 8 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Neotropic and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (South Africa), Europe (9 countries), North America (Canada, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Argentina, Venezuela). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

cuscuta-do-linho

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Congo (DRC)), Asia (5 countries), Europe (20 countries), North America (Canada, United States), and South America (Brazil).

Clover Dodder

Clover dodder (Cuscuta epithymum) is a parasitic flowering plant in the family Convolvulaceae, a leafless, twining vine that obtains all its water and nutrients from host plants via haustoria — specialized penetrating organs that connect to host vascular tissue. The species is almost entirely dependent on its hosts throughout its life, with only brief photosynthetic activity during germination before establishing parasitic connections. C. epithymum parasitizes a wide range of host species including clover (Trifolium), gorse (Ulex), heathers (Erica, Calluna), thyme (Thymus), and other plants in open heathland, grassland, and scrub habitats. The stems are thread-like, yellowish-pink or reddish, and support clusters of small white to pale pink flowers. Originally widespread across Europe, Asia, North Africa, and the Americas, the species has declined significantly in many parts of its range due to agricultural intensification, herbicide application, grassland conversion, and loss of semi-natural heathlands. It is currently listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, reflecting population decline across its European core range. Conservation of C. epithymum requires the maintenance of unimproved, low-nutrient grasslands and heathlands that support its diverse host plant communities. The species is recorded from Africa, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America, though populations in some regions represent introductions associated with contaminated legume seed lots.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 10 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇧🇬 Bulgaria 🇨🇦 Canada 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇱 Poland 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇰 Slovakia 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States