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Answer: ii) Parasite
Cuscuta is known by its common names Amarbel or dodder. The scientific name of amarbel is Cuscuta chinensis. It belongs to the family Convolvulaceae
Cuscuta shows characteristics of Parasitism. Cuscuta wraps itself around its prey. The dodder plant induces haustoria around the host in the condition when the prey contains food products, crucial to the plant
The mechanism of haustoria involves the insertion of its roots into the vasculature of the host. Cuscuta’s original root system weens off in the soil and eventually dies. Similarly in this way, dodder can create numerous attachments with its host
Dodder is a holoparasitic plant, i.e. it is a non-photosynthetic variety and entirely dependent on the host system
- Cuscuta usually has a minimal amount of chlorophyll. C. Europaea, is completely dependent on the host system to fulfil its nutritional requirements
