Plants of
South Australia
Cassytha melantha
Lauraceae
Coarse Dodder-laurel,
Large Dodder-laurel
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Regional Species Conservation Assessments per IBRA subregion.
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Adelaide
Arkaroola
Ceduna
Coober Pedy
Hawker
Innamincka
Marla
Marree
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Oodnadatta
Renmark
Wudinna
Keith
Yunta
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Botanical art

Kath Alcock paintings: 5

Common names

Coarse Dodder-laurel

Large Dodder-laurel

Etymology

Cassytha from the Greek 'kasytas' or 'kadytas', a name for a parasite to which this genus bears a strong resemblance and thought to have been dodder (genus Cuscuta). Melantha from the Greek 'melas' meaning black and 'anthos' meaning flower, referring to the dark-red to black appearance of its inflorescence and petals covered with short, appressed black hairs.

Distribution and status

Found in southern South Australia growing in woodlands and mallee scrubs. Often extensively and densely draping over and sometimes smothering shrubs and trees. Also found in Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. Native. Common in South Australia. Common in the other States.
Herbarium regions: Nullarbor, Gairdner-Torrens, Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray, Yorke Peninsula, Southern Lofty, Kangaroo Island, South Eastern, Green Adelaide
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)

Plant description

Robust perennial twiner with stems terete, to 4 mm thick, striate; glabrescent, green to reddish-green, younger parts pubescent. Leaves triangular-ovate to 1 mm long and 0.8 mm wide; red-pubescent, drying black. Inflorescence a single cluster with 2-13 white ovoid flowers. Sepals triangular covered with short white, red and black hairs. Petals ovate covered with short, appressed black hairs. Flowering between June and October. Fruits are globular fleshy drupe to 15 mm diameter, glabrescent, light-green to cream-white, drying black. Seeds are black globular woody. Seed embryo type is linear under-developed.

Seed collection and propagation

Collect seeds between August and December. Collecting mature fruits, those that are soft, green, light-green to cream-white or black and have a hard woody seed inside. Place the fruits in a bucket of water and rub with your hands to remove the soft flesh. Remove any seeds that are floating. These will be empty seeds. Drain the water and keep only the hard seeds at the bottom. Place the seeds on paper towel and leave to dry. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place.

We acknowledge the contributions of the South Australian Seed Conservation Centre, the Botanic Gardens of South Australia, and the Department for Environment and Water.