Centuryplant vs Common Dodder

Agave americana compared with Cuscuta gronovii

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Centuryplant	Common Dodder
Kingdom same	Plantae (พืช)	Plantae (พืช)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Liliopsida (Monocots)	Magnoliopsida (พืชใบเลี้ยงคู่)
Order	Asparagales (อันดับหน่อไม้ฝรั่ง)	Solanales (อันดับมะเขือ)
Family	Asparagaceae	Convolvulaceae
Genus	Agave	Cuscuta
Species	Agave americana	Cuscuta gronovii

Evolutionary Relationship

Centuryplant and Common Dodder share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Magnoliophyta. (Flowering Plants)

Conservation Status

Centuryplant

LC — Least Concern

Common Dodder

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Centuryplant	Common Dodder
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Centuryplant

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 10 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (18 countries), Asia (10 countries), Europe (13 countries), North America (Costa Rica), Oceania and the Pacific (7 countries), and South America (5 countries).

Common Dodder

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Europe (11 countries) and North America (United States).

Centuryplant

The Centuryplant (Agave americana) is a species in the genus Agave. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Native to ['Albania', 'Algeria', 'Argentina', 'Australia', 'Belgium'].

Common Dodder

<em>Cuscuta gronovii</em>, the common dodder, is a parasitic annual vine in the family Convolvulaceae. This species is distributed across eleven European countries as well as the United States, where it typically inhabits diverse terrestrial environments including wetland margins, roadsides, thickets, and disturbed vegetation. Unlike most plants, <em>Cuscuta gronovii</em> lacks chlorophyll and is entirely dependent on host plants for water and nutrients, which it extracts through specialized structures called haustoria. The common dodder typically has slender, twining orange or yellowish stems and produces small, clustered white or pale pink flowers in late summer. It often parasitizes a broad range of host species, including many herbaceous and shrubby plants. Once attached to a host, it typically sheds its connection to the soil and relies entirely on the host for sustenance. The species is assessed as Least Concern, reflecting its wide distribution and ability to colonize disturbed habitats. Its parasitic life history makes it ecologically notable among flowering plants.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 7 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇫🇷 France 🇮🇹 Italy 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇳🇴 Norway 🇪🇸 Spain 🇬🇧 United Kingdom