''Cuscuta chinensis'' Lam. is a stem holoparasite vine in the family

Convolvulaceae Convolvulaceae (), commonly called the bindweed, bindweeds or morning glory, morning glories, is a Family (biology), family of about 60 genera and more than 1,650 species. These species are primarily herbaceous vines, but also include trees, sh ...

. It was first described in China in 1786.

Description

''C. chinensis'' is a thin, yellow vine lacking leaves or roots. It produces glomerulate to dense paniculiform inflorescences composed of white-cream 5-merous flowers that are very small, have two styles with capitate stigmata, and produce 3–4 obovoid seeds per capsule. Its pollen grains are small, colporate, and covered by a finely reticulate ektexine. ''C. chinensis'' var. ''chinensis'' has been observed to flower from June–October, December–March, and February–May. It is found throughout western Asia, tropical Asia, eastern Asia, and Australasia at latitudes between 20° N and 50° N. Specimens of ''

Cuscuta campestris ''Cuscuta campestris'', with the common names field dodder, golden dodder, large-seeded alfalfa dodder, yellow dodder and prairie dodder, is a parasitic plant which belongs to the family Convolvulaceae. It was formerly classified in the family C ...

'' are occasionally mislabeled as ''C. chinensis''; the two species can be differed by ''C. chinensiss carinate calyx lobes, incurved but not inflexed corolla lobes, and dehiscent seed capsule. ''C. chinensis'' var. ''applanata'' flowers from June to October and is found in Mexico and the southwestern US.

Use in traditional medicine

''C. chinensis'' is used medicinally in many Asian countries, including China, Korea, Pakistan, Vietnam, India, Thailand, Nepal, and Inner Mongolia. Biochemical analysis has found at least 93 pharmacologically active

phytochemicals Phytochemicals are naturally-occurring chemicals present in or extract, extracted from plants. Some phytochemicals are nutrients for the plant, while others are metabolites produced to enhance plant survivability and reproduction. The field ...

present in ''C. chinensis'' correlated with its use as an

anti-inflammatory Anti-inflammatory is the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation, fever or swelling. Anti-inflammatory drugs, also called anti-inflammatories, make up about half of analgesics. These drugs reduce pain by inhibiting mechan ...

agent, anti-aging agent, pain reliever, or aphrodisiac. '' In Traditional Chinese Medicine '' ''Cuscuta chinensis'' is used as a tonic medicine by traditional Chinese medicine practitioners for the treatment of kidney and liver deficiency.

References

chinensis Flora of China Parasitic plants Plants described in 1786 {{Solanales-stub