Cassytha

taxobox
name = "Cassytha"

---

image_caption = "Cassytha filiformis"
regnum = Plantae
unranked_divisio = Angiosperms
unranked_classis = Magnoliids
ordo = Laurales
familia = Lauraceae
genus = "Cassytha" L.
subdivision_ranks = species
subdivision = See text.|

"Cassytha" L. (1753) is a genus of 17 species of parasitic vines in the family Lauraceae, mainly native to Australia, but with a few species in Africa, southern Asia, and one ("C. filiformis") in Hawaii, northern South America, Central America southernmost North America (southern Florida) and Japan.

The plants bear a striking, though superficial, resemblance to "Cuscuta" (dodder), an unrelated genus in the family Convolvulaceae, making an excellent example of convergent evolution.

;Selected species
*"Cassytha aurea" - Australia
*"Cassytha candida" - Australia
*"Cassytha capillaris" - Australia
*"Cassytha ciliolata" - South Africa
*"Cassytha flava" - Australia
*"Cassytha glabella" - Australia and Japan (Okinawa)
*"Cassytha filiformis" - Hawaii, South and Central America, Florida, Japan (Okinawa)
*"Cassytha melantha" - Australia
*"Cassytha micrantha" - Australia
*"Cassytha nodiflora" - Australia
*"Cassytha pomiformis" - Australia
*"Cassytha pubescens" - Australia and Japan (Okinawa)
*"Cassytha racemosa" - eastern Australia

Note that the homonym "Cassytha" Mill. (1768) is a synonym of the cactus genus "Rhipsalis"

ee also

*Parasitic plant

External links

* [http://www.parasiticplants.siu.edu/Lauraceae/ Parasitic plants: "Cassytha" (with distribution map)]
* [http://florabase.calm.wa.gov.au/search/advanced?genus=cassytha Western Australia Florabase: "Cassytha"]
* [http://home.vicnet.net.au/~carlyn/cassytha_melantha.htm "Cassytha melantha"]
* [http://www.museums.org.za/bio/plants/lauraceae/cassytha.htm Museum of South Africa: "Cassytha ciliolata"]
* [http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=200008689 "Flora of North America": "Cassytha filiformis"]

References

*Weber, J. Z.:A taxonomic revision of Cassytha (Lauraceae) in Australia.Journal of Adelaide Botanic Gardens 3:187-262, 1981