✵The article documents the herb Dodder Seed, including its Pinyin name, English name, Latin name, properties and flavors, and its botanical sources as defined in classical herbal texts: (1) Cuscuta chinensis Lam., (2) Cuscuta australis R. Br., and (3) Cuscuta japonica Choisy — three plant species commonly used in traditional medicine. It provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological requirements of these species; the characteristics of the dried ripe seeds (i.e., Semen Cuscutae); its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Semen Cuscutae (Dodder Seed)
Pinyin Name: Tú Sī Zǐ
English Name: Dodder Seed, South Dodder Seed, Chinese Dodder Seed
Latin Name:Semen Cuscutae Properties and Flavors: Neutral; pungent and sweet.
Brief Introduction:Semen Cuscutae is the dried ripe seed of Cuscuta chinensis Lam. It is used to tonify the liver and kidneys, improve vision, and prevent miscarriage. It is indicated for nocturnal emission, impotence, enuresis, diabetes, diminished vision, and threatened abortion. Commonly known as Semen Cuscutae, Dodder Seed, or Tú Sī Zǐ.
Botanical Source: Classical official herbal compendia traditionally define Semen Cuscutae (Dodder Seed) as the dried ripe seed of Cuscuta chinensis Lam. The latest edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020) expands this definition to include both Cuscuta chinensis Lam. and Cuscuta australis R. Br. Other authoritative herbal classics further recognize three species: (1) Cuscuta chinensis Lam., (2) Cuscuta australis R. Br., and (3) Cuscuta japonica Choisy. These belong to the genus Cuscuta L., family Convolvulaceae (morning glory family), order Solanales (formerly in order Tubiflorae). The following describes the three botanically recognized species and one additional commonly used species:
(1) Cuscuta chinensis Lam.
Botanical Description:Cuscuta chinensis Lam. is commonly known as Tú Sī Zǐ. It is an annual parasitic herb with twining, yellow, slender stems (~1 mm in diameter) and extensive branching. Parasitic roots (haustoria) arise at any node along the stem and penetrate host tissues. Leaves are extremely reduced, scale-like, and triangular-ovate.
Flowers are hermaphroditic and grow in dense umbelliform or glomerulate inflorescences. Flower bracts are small and scale-like. Peduncles are slightly thickened and robust, ~1 mm long. The calyx is cup-shaped (cyathiform), ~2 mm long, with the lower half fused and five triangular lobes, the apices blunt. The corolla is white, urn-shaped (urceolate), ~3 mm long, shallowly 5-lobed; lobes are triangular-ovate with acute or obtuse apices, reflexed outward; five oblong scales at the base of the corolla tube bear fringelike (penicillate) margins and apices. There are five stamens inserted on the lower part of the curved corolla lobes; filaments are short, and anthers protrude beyond the corolla lobes. 2 pistils, carpels are fused; the ovary is subglobose and bilocular; two styles arise from the ovary, each terminating in a capitate stigma.
Capsules are subglobose and slightly oblate, ~3 mm in diameter, nearly enveloped by the persistent corolla, and dehisce circumscissilely at maturity. Each capsule contains 2–4 seeds, yellow or tawny (yellowish-brown), ovoid (egg-shaped), ~1.4–1.6 mm long, with a coarse, rough surface. Flowering occurs from July to September; fruiting from August to October.
Dodder is an aphyllic parasitic vine whose reddish-orange, threadlike stems attach to green host plants via haustorial suckers to absorb nutrients. It appears as a twining yellow or orange plant, sometimes tinged with purple or red — occasionally nearly white. Stems range from very thin and threadlike to relatively stout. Its pinkish-white flowers possess five sharply pointed, spreading, triangular lobes and grow in dense clusters. Seeds may remain dormant for up to eight years.
Historically, dodder was classified within the Morning-Glory Family (Convolvulaceae); however, modern taxonomic treatments place it in the monogeneric family Cuscutaceae. Welsh et al. report twelve Cuscuta species in Utah, whereas Weber (1986) divides the group into two genera: Cuscuta (one species) and Grammica (five species), based primarily on stigma morphology.
Dodder parasitizes numerous wild and cultivated plants and is especially destructive to alfalfa, lespedeza, flax, clover, and potatoes. Ornamental hosts include chrysanthemum, dahlia, helenium, Virginia creeper, trumpet vine, English ivy, and petunias. It is particularly problematic in seed-production fields of alfalfa, clover, and onion, because dodder seeds closely resemble crop seeds and are difficult to separate — thus facilitating spread via contaminated seed lots. Water, minerals, and carbohydrates are absorbed from host plants through haustoria, which are modified adventitious roots that penetrate host vascular tissue.
Dodder is reported (Wilson et al.) to contain trace amounts of chlorophyll in the buds, fruits, and stems; however, the photosynthetic activity in this tissue is negligible and does not contribute meaningfully to the plant’s survival.
The flowers are numerous, white, pink, or yellowish, small (2–4 mm long, depending on the species), and arranged in dense globose clusters or loose corymbs—variation determined by species. Flowering typically begins in early June and continues until the end of the growing season. The fruit is approximately 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) in diameter, with thin, chartaceous (papery) pericarp walls, and contains 1–4 seeds. The seeds are yellowish-brown to black, orbicular (nearly circular), and bear a finely rugose surface with one convex (rounded) side and two flattened sides.
Dodder produces seeds that disperse to the soil surface and germinate in the following growing season—if a suitable host is present. In the absence of a compatible host, seeds may remain viable and dormant for up to five years.
Dodder seedlings must establish haustorial connections with a suitable host within several days of germination; otherwise, they perish. The young seedling is thigmotropic: its yellowish stem grows in a coiling, exploratory manner until it contacts a potential host. Upon contact, the stem rapidly coils around the host stem. If the host proves physiologically compatible, a secondary biochemical signal triggers the formation of haustoria—root-like invasive structures that penetrate the host’s vascular tissue. Subsequently, the basal portion of the seedling (including the original root and cotyledons) degenerates, severing all connection to the soil.
Ecological Environment:Cuscuta chinensis Lam. grows in fields, along roadsides, on barren land, in shrublands, and in sunny habitats on hillsides or mountain slopes. It is predominantly parasitic on plants of the Fabaceae (Leguminosae), Asteraceae (Compositae), and Amaranthaceae (Chenopodiaceae s.l.) families. This species is widely distributed across China.
Growth Characteristics:Cuscuta chinensis Lam. thrives in warm, humid climates and exhibits low edaphic specificity. It commonly parasitizes herbaceous plants along river valleys and banks, as well as woody plants in brushwood. Preferred hosts include Glycine max (soybean) and Glycine max (L.) Merr. (black soybean).
Characteristics of the Herb: The seeds are orbicular to ovoid (egg-shaped), with a prominent ventral ridge. Both lateral surfaces are concave. The major (long) diameter measures 1.4–1.6 mm; the minor (short) diameter, 0.9–1.1 mm. The seed coat is taupe brown (grayish-brown) or yellowish-brown, slightly coarse and rugose. The rostrum (beak) is inconspicuous. Under magnification, the surface displays fine dark speckles and irregularly distributed, whitish, filamentous striations. The hilum is suborbicular and situated near the apical end of the seed. The testa is hard and rigid, resistant to mechanical fracture. When soaked in boiling water, the surface becomes mucilaginous. Upon prolonged boiling, the testa ruptures, revealing a yellowish-white, slender, and tightly convoluted embryo. After removal of the testa, the embryo is coiled three times around its axis; the endosperm is thin, membranous, and envelops the embryo like a fragile shell. The herb has a faint odor and tastes slightly bitter and astringent.
Medicinal Efficacy: Tonifies the liver and kidneys; nourishes the essence (Jing); restrains seminal emission and enuresis; improves visual acuity; nourishes the liver to benefit the eyes; stabilizes pregnancy and prevents threatened abortion; alleviates diarrhea—particularly spleen- or kidney-deficiency–type diarrhea. Externally, it dispels wind and eliminates leukoderma (vitiligo). It is indicated for: liver-kidney deficiency; soreness and weakness of the lower back and knees; impotence (yang deficiency type); spermatorrhea and premature ejaculation; infertility; enuresis and urinary incontinence; frequent urination; thirst and polyuria (consumptive thirst, xiao ke); turbid or painful urination (lin syndrome); blurred vision, dim-sightedness (hypopsia), and tinnitus; and diarrhea due to spleen or kidney deficiency. Externally, it is used for leukoderma (vitiligo).
Administration of Semen Cuscutae (Tú Sī Zǐ):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Semen Cuscutae (Tú Sī Zǐ)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally: 6–12 grams; Externally: appropriate amount for topical application; (2) Internally: water decoction, 3–5 qián (≈9–15 grams); or formulated into pills or powders. Topical application: fry the herb, grind finely into powder, and apply as a paste. (3) Internally: water decoction, 6–15 grams; or formulated into pills or powders. Topical application: as needed—fry, pulverize finely, and apply as a paste.
Contraindications, Precautions, and Adverse Reactions: Semen Cuscutae is contraindicated during pregnancy, in cases of metrorrhagia (abnormal uterine bleeding), and in constipation.
(2) Cuscuta australis R.Br.
Botanical description: Cuscuta australis R. Br. is commonly known as Nán Fāng Tú Sī Zǐ ("Southern Dodder Seed"). It is an annual parasitic herb. Stems are twining, golden-yellow, slender (~1 mm in diameter), and aphyllous (leafless).
Inflorescences are lateral, bearing few to many flowers arranged in umbellules or small glomerules; peduncles are nearly absent. Bracts and bracteoles are both minute and scale-like. Pedicels are slightly stout, 1–2.5 mm long. The calyx is cyathiform (cup-shaped), with the base fused; it has 3–5 lobes—oblong or orbicular (subrotund), usually unequal in size, 0.8–1.8 mm long, with rounded apices. The corolla is creamy-white (milky-white) or pale yellow, cyathiform, ~2 mm long; lobes are ovoid or oblong, with rounded apices, approximately equal in length to the corolla tube, erect and persistent. Stamens are inserted on the curved portion of the corolla lobes—where the lobes are reduced or absent—and are slightly shorter than the lobes. Scales are minute, with shortly penicillate (fringelike) margins. The ovary is oblate; two styles are present—equal or slightly unequal in length—with globose stigmas.
Capsules are oblate, 3–4 mm in diameter; the lower half is enveloped by the persistent corolla and dehisce irregularly (not circumscissile) at maturity. Each capsule typically contains four seeds: hazel (pale brown), ovoid, ~1.5 mm long, with a coarse, rugose surface.
Ecological Environment: Cuscuta australis R. Br. is parasitic on herbaceous plants or semishrubs of Fabaceae (Leguminosae), Artemisia spp. (Asteraceae), and Vitex spp. (Verbenaceae), commonly found along field margins and roadsides at elevations of 50–2,000 m above sea level. It is distributed across China and extends throughout Central, South, and East Asia, parts of Southeast Asia, and Oceania.
Characteristics of the Herb: Seeds resemble those of Cuscuta chinensis Lam., but are more consistently ovoid (egg-shaped), with inconspicuous ventral ridges. Dimensions differ significantly: major (long) diameter measures 0.7–2.0 mm; minor (short) diameter, 0.5–1.2 mm. The seed coat is hazel (pale brown) to brown; one end bears a coronoid (beak-like) protrusion that deviates laterally. Under magnification, the hilum appears slightly concave and is situated on the ventral side near the seed apex.
(3) Cuscuta japonica Choisy
Botanical Description: Cuscuta japonica Choisy is commonly known as Jīn Dēng Téng (“Golden Lamp Vine”). It is an annual parasitic, twining herb with stout, succulent stems (1–2 mm in diameter), yellow in color, often marked with violet-red (prunus-colored) tubercles, glabrous, highly branched, and aphyllous (leafless).
Flowers are sessile or subsessile, arranged in spikes; the inflorescence grows up to 3 cm long, and the base is often many-branched. Bracts and bracteoles are scaly, oval (egg-shaped), about 2 mm long, with a pointed tip, entire margin, and thickened along the midvein (back). The calyx is calathiform (bowl-shaped), succulent, about 2 mm long, 5-lobed nearly to the base; the lobes are oval or orbicular (subrotund), either equal or unequal in length, with a pointed tip, and the lower surface often bears purplish-red (violet-red) tubercles. The corolla is campanulate (bell-shaped), faintly red (pale red) or greenish-white, 3–5 mm long, with a 5-lobed apex; the lobes are ovate-triangular, blunt, erect or slightly reflexed, and 2–2.5 times shorter than the corolla tube. There are 5 stamens, inserted between the corolla lobes at the throat; the anthers are oval and yellow, and the filaments are absent or nearly absent. There are 5 scales, oblong, with a penicillate (fringelike) margin, inserted at the base of the corolla tube and extending to the middle or beyond the middle of the corolla tube. The ovary is spheric (globular), smooth, glabrous, bilocular; the style is slender, single (connate), as long as or slightly longer than the ovary, and the stigma is 2-lobed.
Capsular fruits are ovoid, about 5 mm long, with a circumscissile dehiscence zone at the subbasal part. Each fruit contains 1–2 seeds, which are smooth, 2–2.5 mm long, and brown. Flowering occurs in August; fruiting occurs in September.
Ecological Environment: Cuscuta japonica Choisy is distributed in China, where it parasitizes herbs or shrubs. It is also found in parts of Southeast and Northeast Asia.
Characteristics of the Herb: The seed is relatively large, with a long diameter (major axis) of about 3 mm and a short diameter (minor axis) of 2–3 mm; its surface is hazel (pale brown) or yellowish-brown.
✵The article documents the herb Dodder Seed, including its Pinyin name, English name, Latin name, properties and flavors, and its botanical sources as defined in classical herbal texts: (1) Cuscuta chinensis Lam., (2) Cuscuta australis R. Br., and (3) Cuscuta japonica Choisy — three plant species commonly used in traditional medicine. It provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological requirements of these species; the characteristics of the dried ripe seeds (i.e., Semen Cuscutae); its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Tú Sī Zǐ
Dodder is an aphyllic parasitic vine whose reddish-orange, threadlike stems attach to green host plants via haustorial suckers to absorb nutrients. It appears as a twining yellow or orange plant, sometimes tinged with purple or red — occasionally nearly white. Stems range from very thin and threadlike to relatively stout. Its pinkish-white flowers possess five sharply pointed, spreading, triangular lobes and grow in dense clusters. Seeds may remain dormant for up to eight years.
Dodder parasitizes numerous wild and cultivated plants and is especially destructive to alfalfa, lespedeza, flax, clover, and potatoes. Ornamental hosts include chrysanthemum, dahlia, helenium, Virginia creeper, trumpet vine, English ivy, and petunias. It is particularly problematic in seed-production fields of alfalfa, clover, and onion, because dodder seeds closely resemble crop seeds and are difficult to separate — thus facilitating spread via contaminated seed lots. Water, minerals, and carbohydrates are absorbed from host plants through haustoria, which are modified adventitious roots that penetrate host vascular tissue.
The flowers are numerous, white, pink, or yellowish, small (2–4 mm long, depending on the species), and arranged in dense globose clusters or loose corymbs—variation determined by species. Flowering typically begins in early June and continues until the end of the growing season. The fruit is approximately 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) in diameter, with thin, chartaceous (papery) pericarp walls, and contains 1–4 seeds. The seeds are yellowish-brown to black, orbicular (nearly circular), and bear a finely rugose surface with one convex (rounded) side and two flattened sides.
Characteristics of the Herb: The seeds are orbicular to ovoid (egg-shaped), with a prominent ventral ridge. Both lateral surfaces are concave. The major (long) diameter measures 1.4–1.6 mm; the minor (short) diameter, 0.9–1.1 mm. The seed coat is taupe brown (grayish-brown) or yellowish-brown, slightly coarse and rugose. The rostrum (beak) is inconspicuous. Under magnification, the surface displays fine dark speckles and irregularly distributed, whitish, filamentous striations. The hilum is suborbicular and situated near the apical end of the seed. The testa is hard and rigid, resistant to mechanical fracture. When soaked in boiling water, the surface becomes mucilaginous. Upon prolonged boiling, the testa ruptures, revealing a yellowish-white, slender, and tightly convoluted embryo. After removal of the testa, the embryo is coiled three times around its axis; the endosperm is thin, membranous, and envelops the embryo like a fragile shell. The herb has a faint odor and tastes slightly bitter and astringent.
Botanical description: Cuscuta australis R. Br. is commonly known as Nán Fāng Tú Sī Zǐ ("Southern Dodder Seed"). It is an annual parasitic herb. Stems are twining, golden-yellow, slender (~1 mm in diameter), and aphyllous (leafless).
Capsules are oblate, 3–4 mm in diameter; the lower half is enveloped by the persistent corolla and dehisce irregularly (not circumscissile) at maturity. Each capsule typically contains four seeds: hazel (pale brown), ovoid, ~1.5 mm long, with a coarse, rugose surface.
Characteristics of the Herb: Seeds resemble those of Cuscuta chinensis Lam., but are more consistently ovoid (egg-shaped), with inconspicuous ventral ridges. Dimensions differ significantly: major (long) diameter measures 0.7–2.0 mm; minor (short) diameter, 0.5–1.2 mm. The seed coat is hazel (pale brown) to brown; one end bears a coronoid (beak-like) protrusion that deviates laterally. Under magnification, the hilum appears slightly concave and is situated on the ventral side near the seed apex.
Botanical Description: Cuscuta japonica Choisy is commonly known as Jīn Dēng Téng (“Golden Lamp Vine”). It is an annual parasitic, twining herb with stout, succulent stems (1–2 mm in diameter), yellow in color, often marked with violet-red (prunus-colored) tubercles, glabrous, highly branched, and aphyllous (leafless).
Flowers are sessile or subsessile, arranged in spikes; the inflorescence grows up to 3 cm long, and the base is often many-branched. Bracts and bracteoles are scaly, oval (egg-shaped), about 2 mm long, with a pointed tip, entire margin, and thickened along the midvein (back). The calyx is calathiform (bowl-shaped), succulent, about 2 mm long, 5-lobed nearly to the base; the lobes are oval or orbicular (subrotund), either equal or unequal in length, with a pointed tip, and the lower surface often bears purplish-red (violet-red) tubercles. The corolla is campanulate (bell-shaped), faintly red (pale red) or greenish-white, 3–5 mm long, with a 5-lobed apex; the lobes are ovate-triangular, blunt, erect or slightly reflexed, and 2–2.5 times shorter than the corolla tube. There are 5 stamens, inserted between the corolla lobes at the throat; the anthers are oval and yellow, and the filaments are absent or nearly absent. There are 5 scales, oblong, with a penicillate (fringelike) margin, inserted at the base of the corolla tube and extending to the middle or beyond the middle of the corolla tube. The ovary is spheric (globular), smooth, glabrous, bilocular; the style is slender, single (connate), as long as or slightly longer than the ovary, and the stigma is 2-lobed.
Ecological Environment: Cuscuta japonica Choisy is distributed in China, where it parasitizes herbs or shrubs. It is also found in parts of Southeast and Northeast Asia.
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