Cuscuta pacifica

Goldenthread

Family: Convolvulaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Goldenthread is a California native parasitic perennial found in coastal regions, typically growing in sandy or coastal habitats. Flowering from June to September, this delicate plant produces small, membranous white to cream-colored flowers in compact clusters of 2 to 17 blooms, each flower approximately 3.5 to 6 millimeters long. Growing as a slender, thread-like vine that parasitizes other plants, goldenthread attaches to host plants with specialized structures and spreads in fine, golden-yellow to pale strands. Its flowers feature distinctive bell-shaped corollas with short-fringed scales and widely ovate lobes, creating intricate botanical structures. The fruit is elliptic-ovoid, measuring 2 to 3.6 millimeters long, and contains one to two small, nearly spherical seeds.

California counties: Alameda, Santa Barbara, Solano, Santa Clara, San Luis Obispo, Contra Costa

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.