Cassytha filiformis L.

Madagascar: Flowering and fruiting of Cassytha filiformis occur all around the year.
Mayotte: Cassytha filiformis flowers from January to August and fruits from April to October.
New Caledonia: Flowering and fruiting occur all around the year.

Cassytha filiformis is a vivacious vine that reproduces by seeds spread by birds and wind. This parasitic vine spreads in space through the production of climbing stems.

Madagascar: Cassytha filiformis is a parasite of trees and fruit trees in the savannahs and forests of the Northwest and West, particularly mango trees (Mangifera indica), Ficus spp. and Sclerocarya spp. up to 1000 m altitude, in sunny places, in natural environment or very extensive orchards.
Mayotte: Cassytha filiformis is a cryptogenic species quite common on the coast where it covers the vegetation and parasitizes many indigenous species of forests and dry thickets.
New Caledonia: Cassytha filiformis is indigenous in New Caledonia where it is quite common on all coastal areas up to an altitude of about 300 m. It occurs frequently in dry forests, savannas at Niaoulis, secondary zones and pastures. It becomes more aggressive in hot and humid conditions that promote its growth.
South Africa : Occurs in villages and riverine areas.

Origin

Cassytha filiformis is native to Pacific islands.


Worldwide distribution

Cassytha filiformis is widespread in all tropical regions (Central America, South America, tropical Africa, Islands of the south-west Indian Ocean, India, South-east Asia, Australia and Pacific islands). It is particularly frequent in northern Australia.

Local harmfulness

Madagascar: Cassytha filiformis is a relatively scarce but locally abundant parasitic plant occurring on natural trees and poorly managed fruit trees in the Northwest and West, particularly in small mango forests that are very extensively monitored. It attacks the upper parts of the trees, difficult to see and not accessible.
New Caledonia: Cassytha filiformis forms more or less dense entanglements by ramification by wrapping around host plants that range from the bush to the tree. It can also form a scrub in the form of more or less dense spots above herbaceous formations such as pastures. It becomes more aggressive in hot and humid conditions that promote its growth.
South Africa: Naturalised weed with low ecological impact.

Medicinal: Cassytha filiformis is traditionally used in Madagascar as a medicinal plant against a number of diseases.

Local control

Madagascar: This species is rarely controlled but the plant can be collected as a medicinal plant.
New Caledonia: Cassytha filiformis (False Dodder) is not a major weed of pasture. It can even sometimes form a useful "helper" by parasitizing other invasive species typical of pasture areas such as Senna tora, and Stachytarpheta urticifolia. However, too much local development can weaken forage plants and reduce their consumption by livestock. On reduced infestations in space, manual cleaning is possible by complete removal of the stems, it is then absolutely necessary to get rid of the stems and fragments of cut plants. On larger surfaces, early grinding of visible spots on the pasture may be used, and then it will be necessary to evacuate the cut stems from the field.
South Africa - KNP : It is controlled by slashing and digging out.

Herbarium pictures ReCOLNAT: https://explore.recolnat.org/search/botanique/simplequery=Cassytha%2520filiformis