Cassytha filiformis or love-vine is an orangish, wiry, parasitic vine in the family Lauraceae. It is found in coastal forests of warm tropical regions worldwide including the Americas, Indomalaya, Australasia, Polynesia and tropical Africa.
Image: Starr 030716 0146 Cassytha filiformis habit Kanaio Maui (24009887093)
Image: Cassytha filiformis 1
Clump of C. filiformis on Florida Rosemary, southwest Florida.
C. filiformis covering a tree, Caspersen Beach, west Florida
Lauraceae, or the laurels, is a plant family that includes the true laurel and its closest relatives. This family comprises about 2850 known species in about 45 genera worldwide. They are dicotyledons, and occur mainly in warm temperate and tropical regions, especially Southeast Asia and South America. Many are aromatic evergreen trees or shrubs, but some, such as Sassafras, are deciduous, or include both deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs, especially in tropical and temperate climates. The genus Cassytha is unique in the Lauraceae in that its members are parasitic vines. Most laurels are highly poisonous.
Cassytha filiformis
Leaves of Cinnamomum tamala - (malabathrum or tejpat)
Lindera triloba leaves
Lindera melissifolia: This endangered species is native to the southeastern United States, and its demise is associated with habitat loss from extensive drainage of wetlands for agriculture and forestry.
