Table Of ContentRHODORA,
No. 158-165, 1993
Vol. 95, 882, pp.
AND
GLOMERATA
CUSCUTA CHOISY
FIRE IN OHIO:
A
CONNECTION?
McCormac and Windus
James Jennifer
L.
S.
ABSTRACT
Cuscuta glomerata Choisy a distinctive species largely confined to the central
is
and midwestem prairie region. was noted as extirpated in Ohio in 1988 (the
It
Ohio
last collection dating from 1933). Since 1989 five stations iov the species in
have been located. All are associated with prairie remnants which have, in recent
years, been subjected to regular controlled burning. It is suggested that fire is
essential to rupture the seed coat and stimulate germination.
Key
Words: Cuscuta glomerata, Ohio,
prairie,
fire
known
Cuscuta glomerata Choisy
(Cuscutaceae), colloquially
Rope-dodder and
as (Gleason Cronquist, 1991), a distinctive
is
species in a genus noted for difficulty in species separation (Austin,
While some many
1979). species are partly autophytic, species
lack chlorophyll and appear be Rope-dodder
to entirely parasitic.
by
is easily identified its dense, elongate, continuous flower clus-
when
ters which, in flower, resemble a thick orange-colored pipe-
among
cleaner twining the vegetation (Figure Other characters
1).
which separate glomerata from North American
C. other eastern
and
species are capitate stigmas, flowers
its distinct sepals, sessile
subtended by
several loosely ascending bracts with recurved tips.
Rope-dodder
exhibits a tendency to parasitize species of Aster-
aceae, such as Ambrosia, Aster, Helenium, Helianthus, Liatris,
Members
Silphium, Solidago and Vernonia (Yuncker, of
1965).
commonly
these genera are found in and the range of C.
prairies,
glomerata is largely confined to the central and midwestem prairie
region (Femald,
1950).
known
Fire play an important ecosystems
is to role in prairie
by and
stimulating maintaining populations of certain prairie
species (Anderson, 1982). Historical accounts by early pioneers
mid-western and on the
settling central prairie regions report
and As
ferocity frequency of these blazes (Brown, 1883). prairies
diminished and became fragmented with the
in size increasingly
advance of became norm and
civilization, suppression the
fire
thus prairie fires were virtually eliminated (Curtis, 959). In recent
1
years natural-areas managers have begun to use as a tool for
fire
management Ohio De-
the of prairie communities. In 1983, the
158
McCormac
and Wmdus—Cuscuta
1993]
159
r
»
r
•
I
I
f
I
t
(
!
Figure Cuscuta glomerata parasitizing Solidago canadensis in Milford Cen-
1,
ter Prairie, Union County, Ohio.
(ODNR)
partment ofNatural Resources began to experiment with
controlled burning on state-owned prairie areas. Since that time
ODNR's
become
have
controlled burning activities a vital part
management
of program.
the natural areas In the springs
state's
Rhodora
160 95
[Vol.
Table Correlation between burning history and discovery of Ohio Cuscuta
1
.
glomerata populations.
Year
County Discovered Fire History
Madison 1920
?
Pickaway 1930
?
Madison 1933
?
Logan 1989 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989
*
Logan 1989
Wyandot 1990
Union 1991 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991
Wyandot
1992 1992
* Discussions with landowners revealed that these have been burned several
sites
times in the last decade, but they were unsure of which years.
ODNR
bums
of 1991 and 1992, conducted 17 prescribed on 10
prairies.
In Ohio, most of the prairie areas which existed prior to Eu-
ropean settlement have been eliminated; only small, isolated frag-
ments remain and Troutman,
(Cusick Since natural forces
1978).
no remnants
such as longer maintain these areas, prairie in
fire
many
cases have been further reduced by the invasion of non-
woody
and and
native species. This successional process destruc-
tion of habitat has resulted in several prairie species being listed
Rydb.
as extirpated in Ohio, such as Besseya (Eaton) (Kit-
hullii
tentails), Perideridia americana (Nutt.) Reichb. (Perideridia),
Don
Viola G. Dalea purpurea Vent.
pedatifida (Prairie Violet),
and
(Purple Prairie-clover), Oenothera Nutt. (Stemless
triloba
Evening-primrose). Other endangered
prairie plants are listed as
or threatened, including Silphium laciniatum (Compass-plant),
L.
Gentiana puherulenta Pringle Gentian), Valeriana
(Prairie cil-
J.
&
iata T. G. (Prairie Valerian), Baptisia lactea (Raf Thieret
)
Gray
(Prairie False Indigo), Sporobolus heterolepis A. (Prairie
Dropseed), Platanthera leucophaea Fringed
(Nutt.) Lindl. (Prairie
Orchid), and Cypripedium candidum Muhl. (White Lady's-slip-
per) (Division of Natural Areas and Cuscuta
Preserves, 1992).
glomerata was Ohio 1988 (Division
listed as extirpated in until
was
of Natural Areas and
Preserves, 1988), as the last collection
from Madison County
in 1933.
On
August was
12, 1989, the species rediscovered in a prairie
Logan County have
in (Peskin, 1990). Four other populations
been The known Fen
since located (Table Liberty
as
first site,
1).
—
1
McCormac
and Windus
1993] Cuscuta
6
1
Preserve
preserve
bums
an
discovery
t
dormant
and
cies, botanical research has been conducted at this an-
site
assumed
Helianthus
t
Martens
L. (Canada Goldenrod)
affected. Associates in this area include
I
Solidago uliginosa Nutt. (Bog Goldenrod), Aster puniceus L. (Bris-
Carex Muhl. Phy-
tly Aster), trichocarpa (Hairy-fruited Sedge),
I
sostegia virginiana Benth. (Obedient-plant), Solidago
(L.) riddellii
(Riddell
Michx
September 21, 1989, C. glomerata was located at another
moist
iroxim
dodder, of them Solidago canadensis. Other plant taxa in the
all
(M
ifolia
i mmon
and
lone glabra L. (Turtlehead), Solidago riddellii Physostegia
virginiana.
On
August population of glomerata was
1990, a third C.
25,
Wy-
Management Area
discovered, Killdeer Plains Wildlife in
at
andot County. Killdeer Plains an 8,637-acre tract located in
is
the former Sandusky Plains, a large wet prairie which covered
much of Marion and Wyandot counties. Small prairie remnants
which owned and
and around
still persist in the wildlife area, is
ODNR, (DOW).
managed by Division of Wildlife Large sections
DOW
and
of Killdeer Plains are burned on a rotating basis, per-
where Dodder grows has been
sonnel the
indicated that the site
Approximately 50
burned
several times in the last fifteen years. 1
by Rope-
were parasitized
plants of Helianthus grosseserratus
Vitman
Andropogon gerardi
dodder. include
Associate species
(Big Bluestem), Silphium terebinthinaceum Jacq. (Prairie-dock),
and
Willd. (Spiked Blazing-star).
Liatris spicata (L.)
modem was
glomerata
The of Cuscuta lo-
population
fourth
on Union County. This population occurs
cated
July 1991, in
26,
Darby
former
with
in the remnant associated the
largest prairie
Ohio
which 385 square miles in west-central
Plains, covered
ca.
Rhodora
95
162 [Vol.
= O =
Ohio x post
Figure distribution of Cuscuta glomerata. pre 1934.
2.
D = map
1988. original prairie areas of central Ohio. (Adapted from unpubhshed
by N,
Transeau.)
E.
known
(King, 1981), This Milford
as
site,
on power
miles long a transmission line right
ma
preserve
number uncommon
of
rare or
Rosa
persist here, including Silene regia Sims (Royal Catchfly),
blanda Alton (Smooth Goldenrod),
Rose), Solidago rigida L.
(Stiff
Melica and venosus
nitens Nutt, (Three-flowered Lathyrus
Melic),
Muhl. (Wild Pea). The Rope-dodder was found on approximately
30 host plants of two species, Helianthus grosseserratus and Sol-
idago canadensis, in an area of the prairie regularly subjected to
4 McCormacand Windus—
1993] CM5CMf<2 163
DNAP
r personnel have conducted bums
fire. spring Milford
at
Center
Prairie annually since 1987. seems
unlikely
It that C.
glomerata bloomed
here
f in recent years, as this prairie
is fre-
quently visited by botanists, and easy to examine due
is to
its
narrow
width.
f
A
fifth population of Rope-dodder was discovered on August
992, in a roadside prairie remnant near Killdeer Plains Wild-
1 6, 1
Management
Area Wyandot About
life in County. 75 plants of
f
Helianthus
grosseserratus were infested by dodder. This
prairie
is drier than the other Cuscuta glomerata and
associates
sites,
include Andropogon rum
gerardi, Veronicas virginicum Farw.
(L.)
t
(Culver's Root), Spiraea alba Duroi (Meadowsweet), Ratibida
t
f
pinnata Bamhart Pycnanthemum
(Vent.) (Prairie Coneflower),
&
virginianum Durand
D. Jackson Mountain-
(L.) B. (Virginia
Mo-
mint), Silphium (Whorled and
f trifoliatum L. Rosin-weed),
Many
narda
fistulosa L. (Wild Bergamot). of the roadsides in this
area burned by and
are regularly in the spring local farmers, a
check with the owner of this site revealed that has been regularly
it
burned most
in recent years, recently in the spring of 1992,
known
Historical collections of Cuscuta glomerata in Ohio are
from three in two counties: Madison in 1920 and 1933, and
sites
No
Pickaway on
in 1930. habitat information included the
is
labels from these collections, but both of these counties lie within
former The Pickaway
large prairie areas (Figure Plains area
2).
extended from Pickaway County
three to seven miles across
The Darby
(Bradley 1835), but has been almost entirely destroyed.
Madison
Plains included of County.
large areas
Prior European covered between 700
to settlement, prairies
and Ohio
1500 square miles within the borders of present-day
Now,
(Cusick and Troutman, only small isolated fragments
978).
1
Because of surviving
exist. these areas are interest to naturalists,
known The
remnants and absence of
prairie are well studied.
records of Cuscuta glomerata Ohio from 1933 to 1989, despite
in
common
conspicuous appearance, utihzation of host species,
its
and
occurrence in frequently studied habitats, suggests that eco-
growth of Rope-dodder were
logical conditions necessary for the
lacking during At some species in the genus
this period. least
which an
Cuscuta have impermeable seed coats allow for
hard,
extended period of dormancy, and scarification or acid treatments
have induce germi-
been necessary in laboratory conditions to
such
nation (Tingey and Allred, 1961). possible that heat, as
It is
Rhodora
164 [Vol.95
may
and
generated by rupture seed coats stimulate
prairie
is fires,
germination. The recent records of this species correspond with
by
the re-introduction of into Ohio's prairie ecosystems nat-
fire
Ohio ofCuscuta
ural-areas managers. Since extant populations
all
glomerata have appeared in areas recently burned, appears fire
it
may Rope-dodder
and growth of
be the stimulation
essential to
Ohio
in prairies.
Voucher specimens of Cuscuta glomerata collected as part of
this survey have been deposited in the following herbaria: clm,
KE, MICH, MU, NY, and OS (Holmgren 1990).
et
al.,
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We
Guy Denny
thank Johnston and providing data
Cecelia for
on Rope-dodder Union and Wyandot
populations of counties,
in
Snow
as well as Greg Schneider and Allison for their helpful
comments on and Carol
the manuscript. Special thanks to Jerry
and Nancy
Baskin
Strayer, for their assistance.
LITERATURE
CITED
An
Anderson,
R. C. 1982. evolutionary model summarizing the roles of fire,
climate, and grazing animals in the origin and maintenance of grasslands:
an end paper, pp. 297-308. In: R. Estes, R. Tyri and N. Brunken,
J. J. J.
Norman
Press.
Austin, D. F. 1979. Comments on Cuscuta— for collectors and curators. Bull.
Torr. Bot. Club 227-228
106(3):
Bradley Anonymous
OH.
Archaeol. Hist. Public. Vol. 15. Fred Heer, Columbus, 514 pp.
I.
Brown,
R. C. 1883. The history of Madison County, Ohio. W. H. Beers and
Co., Chicago, IL. 165
pp.
1
Curtis,
T. 1959. Vegetation of Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin Press,
J.
Madison, WI. 657
pp.
AND summary
a
Inform
Division of Natural Areas and Preserves. 1988. Rare native Ohio vascular
plants. 1988-89 Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Colum-
status
list.
OH.
bus, 19
pp.
1992. Rare native Ohio 1992-93 Ohio Department
plants. status
. list.
of Natural Resources, Columbus, OH. 20
pp.
Fernald, M. L. 1950. Gray's manual of botany, 8th ed. American Book Com-
New
pany, York. 1632
pp.
Gleason, and
H. a. a. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of north-
—
McCormac
and Windus
Cw^cw^a
165
1993]
New
eastern United States and adjacent Canada. The York Botanical Garden,
NY.
Bronx, 910
pp.
Holmgren, Holmgren and
P. K., N. H. L. C. Barnett. 1990. Index herbar-
I
Regnum
iorum. Part the herbaria of the world, Ed. Veg. 120.
1: 8.
I C C
King, 1981. Prairies of the Darby Plains in west-central Ohio, pp. 108-
127. In: R. L. Stuckey and K. Reese, Eds., Proceedings of the Sixth North
J.
American Prairie Conference. Ohio Biol. Surv, Biol. Notes No. Colum-
15,
OH.
bus,
Dodder
Peskin, p. K. 1990. Knotted (Cuscuta glomerata: Convolvulaceae) in
{
J
Ohio. Michigan 125-127.
> Bot. 29. pp.
and dormancy
Tingey, D. C. K. R. Allred. 1961. Breaking in seeds of Cuscuta
Weeds
approximata. 429-436.
9:
YuNCKER, T. G. 1965. Cuscuta. North American Flora^ Series Part 4. The
II,
New
NY.
York Botanical Garden, Bronx, 51
pp.
OHIO DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
AND
DIVISION OF NATURAL AREAS PRESERVES
A
FOUNTAIN SQUARE, BUILDING
F
1889
COLUMBUS, OHIO
43224
i
\
