Button Dodder vs Common Dodder

Cuscuta cephalanthi compared with Cuscuta gronovii

Key Differences

• Button Dodder is Not Evaluated while Common Dodder is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Button Dodder	Common Dodder
Kingdom same	Plantae (植物)	Plantae (植物)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (木兰植物门)	Magnoliophyta (木兰植物门)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (木兰纲)	Magnoliopsida (木兰纲)
Order same	Solanales (茄目)	Solanales (茄目)
Family same	Convolvulaceae	Convolvulaceae
Genus same	Cuscuta	Cuscuta
Species	Cuscuta cephalanthi	Cuscuta gronovii

Evolutionary Relationship

Button Dodder and Common Dodder share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Cuscuta.

Conservation Status

Button Dodder

NE — Not Evaluated

Common Dodder

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Button Dodder

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Canada and United States.

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).

Button Dodder

The Button Dodder (Cuscuta cephalanthi) is a species in the genus Cuscuta. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

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 1 countries:

🇺🇸 United States