Taxon Report

Cuscuta pacifica Costea & M. Wright var. papillata (Yunck.) Costea & M. Wright

Mendocino dodder

Print Report

Taxon Summary

Cuscuta pacifica var. papillata, commonly known as Mendocino dodder, is a annual vine (parasitic) in the Convolvulaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Coastal dunes, growing at elevations from 0 to 50 meters. Cuscuta pacifica var. papillata is ranked 1B.2, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Moderately threatened in California.

Classification


Scientific Name:	Cuscuta pacifica Costea & M. Wright var. papillata (Yunck.) Costea & M. Wright
Common Name:	Mendocino dodder
Family:	Convolvulaceae
Element Code:	PDCUS011A2
USDA Plants Symbol:
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History


Lifeform:	annual vine (parasitic)
Blooming Period: (Jun)Jul-Oct	(Jun)Jul-Oct
Elevation:	0-50 (0-165)
General Habitats:	Coastal dunes
Microhabitat:
Microhabitat Details:	Known to occur on Gnaphalium, Silene, and Lupinus spp. in MEN Co.; and on Polycarpon tetraphyllum and Calystegia purpurata ssp. saxicola with Sanicula arctopoides nearby in SON Co.

Conservation Status


CA Rare Plant Rank:	1B.2
Global Rank:	G5T1
State Rank:	S1
State List:	None
Fed List:	None
Other Status:
CRPR Changes:	added to 1B.2 on 2011-09-20

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB


Total Occurrences:	5
Element Occurrence Ranks:
Excellent (A)	0
Good (B)	0
Fair (C)	0
Poor (D)	0
None (X)	1
Unknown (U)	4

Location


California Endemic: True
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Mendocino (MEN), Sonoma (SON)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Bodega Head (3812331), Fort Bragg (3912347), Gualala (3812375), Mendocino (3912337), Point Arena (3812386)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB


Threat List Total:	0
EOs with Threat Listed:	Total EOs	% of EOs
	0	%

Notes



Rediscovered at Point Arena in 2011 by R. Korhummel. Many historical occurrences may be extirpated; need field surveys. See Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 69(7):541-543 (1942) for original description and Systematic Botany 34(4):787-795 (2009) for taxonomic treatment.
Threats:
Possibly threatened by non-native plants and shoreline retreat.
Taxonomy:
Similar to C. pacifica var. pacifica and C. salina. See C. salina var. papillata in The Jepson Manual (1993).

Selected References

CRPR List Addition on 2011-09-20

Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 24 November 2025].