Practical
Plants

Cuscuta chinensis

Chinese Dodder

a perennial member of the Cuscuta genus in the family Convolvulaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Cuscuta
Life cycle
perennial
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A lotion made from the stems is used in the treatment of sore heads and inflamed eyes[3]. The seed is aphrodisiac, demulcent, diaphoretic, hepatic and tonic[1][2][3][5]. It is decocted and used with other herbs to treat a variety of ailments[3]. In particular, it is used in the treatment of impotence, nocturnal emissions, vertigo, lumbago, leucorrhoea, frequent micturation, decreased eyesight, threatened abortion and chronic diarrhoea[1].

Product or use
Aphrodisiac
Product or use
Demulcent
Product or use
Diaphoretic
Product or use
Hepatic
Product or use
Kidney
Product or use
Ophthalmic
Product or use
Tonic

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea.
Habitat
Near seashores, C. and S. Japan[7]. Fields, open mountain slopes, thickets and sandy beaches at elevations up to 3,000 metres in most parts of China[6].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn, by lodging it among the stems of a host plant[4].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it could succeed outdoors at least in the milder parts of this country. This is a parasitic species that is devoid of leaves, roots or chlorophyll and so is totally dependant upon its host[4]. It is most commonly found growing on plants in the families Leguminosae, Compositae and Zygophyllaceae and must be grown next to the host plant, which it penetrates with suckers in order to obtain nutriment[4][6].

References

  1. Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre

    ↩

  3. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩1↩2↩3

  4. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3

  5. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩

  6. Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/

    ↩1↩2

  7. Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965-00-00

    ↩

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