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There are 19 species of Cassytha in Australia, a genus with an intriguing parasitic habit. The Dodder Laurel (Cassytha filiformis) is the most familiar, ranging across the entire northern half of the continent. This scrambling, twining vine thrives in a beachside setting, trailing over sand dunes, riverine areas and nearby rainforest. The need for a compatible host is essential to its long-term survival. It has small suckers (haustoria) that insert tiny roots into the host to obtain nourishment. Eventually the vine becomes established, discards its earthly connection, and becomes reliant on its partner in a symbiotic relationship. In direct sunlight the stems turn an eye-catching yellow-orange, while the greener shade-grown plants have chlorophyll-containing stems that allow a level of self-supporting photosynthesis. Even so, the plant is totally reliant on the host for water and nutrients.