Cuscuta europaea (juvenile) on Urtica dioica (4810' N 1629' E)

Description:

2011-05-11 Vienna XXII. district, Lobau - Danube National Park (155 msm Quadrant 7864/2).German name: Nessel-Teufelszwirn, Nessel-Seide; Gross-BrennnesselIt does not look very cozy, but it is the preferred 'nursery' for parasitic Cuscuta europaea: here, two (!) young seedlings already are climbing the spiky stalk of one Urtica dioica; a couple of weeks later there were already a dozen of them on most stinging nettles growing on this place.See also links below to more photos from the same place.