Cassytha filiformis: dodder-laurel, false dodder, love vine, seashore dodder, woe vine

Common Names:

in English: dodder-laurel, false dodder, love vine, seashore dodder, woe vine

in Brunei: akar janjang

in China: wu gen teng, wu ye teng

in India: aakaasha balli, aakasha balli, aakashaballi, aakashavalli, acatagabulli, acatsja-valli, acatsjavalli, aiyapala, akacavalli, akasa balli, akasaballi, akasavalli, akasavela, akasbel, akash bel, akashaballi, akashavalli, akashavuli, akasvalli (akas, the sky; valli, a climber), akaya valli, alarntapu, amaraballi, amaravallari, amaravalli, amaravela, amarbaela, amarbeli, amarvela, ammaiyarkoonthal, amrtavalli, anantai, ananti, anantikkoti, antaravallitige, antharavallithige, anthrapachya, aral, astimu, bangaru teega, beelu balli, beeluballi, beluballi, calantirati, canaki, cankutam, cavuttumananci, curai, cure, daarada balli, emanatanki, erumaikkorran, erumaikkottan, haadaragithi balli, inci, incikakkoti, indiravalli, intiravalli, irumpacceti, itumpakakkoti, itumpakam, janivaara balli, karukkutaiyalmuli, karulananki, khavalli, kodikkottan, korran, kothan, koththan, kotikkorran, kottan, kottankoti, kunacali, mangana udidaara, mativalli, mudeludantiburu, mulacci, nalil, nandei, nantai, nattai, nelil, nelilkoti, nimtecan, nipattia, nooluthige, notiyatipputu, nuli, nulikkoti, nulu, nulutega, ovaiyarkoonthal, paachi teega, paachi theega, paachithige, pachatige, pachi teega, pachiteega, pachitiga, pachitige, pachungottan, pacitige, pacunkorran, pacunkottan, parsi tivva, paunchtiga, punchatige, seethammaavaari jadaalu, seethammapogunoolu, seethammavaarupogulu, sitammapogunulu, sitammavarupogulu, tega, tirkki, tudakkarupan, tumbi, tumpi, tumpu, tumpukkoti, tutakkaruppan, utaiyavalitam, vacaki, vancimalikkoti, vancimalitali, vinmativalli, viranakkopini, visnupari, viti

in Indonesia: akar pengalasan, sangga langit, tali puteri, tali putri

in Japan: suna-zuru

in Okinawa: niinashi-kanda

Malayan name: chemar batu, chemar hantu

in Philippines: barutbarut, kaduad-kawaran, malabohok

in Thailand: chong naang khlee, khiang kham, khueang kham khok

in Vietnam: d[aa]y t[ow] xanh, t[ow] h[oof]ng xanh

in Hawaii: kauna’oa pehu, kauna’oa malolo, kauna’oa uka, kaunoa, malolo, pololo

in Brazil: cipó-de-chumbo

in Rodrigues Isl.: liane jaune, liane sans fin

in Southern Africa: nooienshaar, vrouehaar; luangalala (Venda)

Floral Description:

According to Flora of China

Stem green-brown, filiform, slightly woody, rusty pubescent when young but sparsely pubescent or glabrous when mature. Leaves reduced to minute scales. Spike ca. 2.5 cm, densely rusty pubescent; bracts and bracteoles brown, minute, broadly ovate, ca. 1 mm, ciliate. Flowers white, small, less than 2 mm, sessile. Perianth lobes 6, in 2 series, outer 3 small, orbicular, ciliate, inner 3 larger, ovate, all pubescent outside, subglabrous inside. Fertile stamens 9; filaments of 1st whorl subpetaloid, those of 2nd and 3rd whorls filiform, of 3rd whorl each with 2 stalkless glands, others glandless; anthers 2-celled; cells of 1st and 2nd whorls introrse, those of 3rd whorl extrorse. Staminodes 3, stalked. Ovary ovoid, subglabrous; style short, slightly angled; stigma small, capitate. Fruit small, ovoid, included in dilated and fleshy perianth tube after anthesis, free, with persistent lobes on top.

Chemical Constitutes:

(+)-Cassythicine, (+)-Dicentrine, (+)-Lirioresinol B, (+)-Yangambin, (-)-Dicentrine, (S)-Isoboldine, Actinodaphnine, Adenosine, Cassamedine, Cassameridine, Cassyfiline, Cassythic acid, Cassythidine, Cathafiline, Cathaformine, Filiformine, Hyperin, Isofiliformine, Isovanillin, Laurotetanine, Lysicamine, Neolitsine, Nicotinic acid, Norpredicentrine, O-Methylcassythine, Ocoteine, Predicentrine, Quercetin 3-O-rhamnosyl-(1->6)-galactoside, 

Rutin, Thalicminine, Vanillin

Pharmacological Activities and Uses:

Whole plant astringent, tonic, diuretic, anti-trypanosomal, hair tonic, laxative, febrifuge, uterotonic, vermifuge, antidote, antiparasitic, stomachic, for cough, venereal diseases, suppression of lactation after stillbirth; whole plant crushed with sugar taken for curing chronic ulcers; whole plant crushed with turmeric applied for body pains and rheumatism. Because of the Doctrine of the signatures, stem powdered and mixed with Sesamum oil used as a hair tonic. Love potion, the vine. Veterinary medicine, tender twigs extract given for liver troubles; for bone fracture, plant pounded in human urine and bandaged over the affected part; plant decoction given to treat diarrhea; plant given to increase milk yield.