Citation: L., Sp. Pl. 35 (1753).

Derivation: From kasytas or kadytas, the Greek name for a parasite thought to have been dodder (Cuscuta) to which this genus bears a strong resemblance.

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: Snotty-gobbles.

Description:
Perennials, partly autotrophic, with branched filiform stems attached by small elliptical haustoria; scale-like leaves clasping the stem.

Inflorescence a sessile or stalked spike, raceme or head; each flower subtended by a scale-like bract and 2 similar but smaller bracteoles; flowers small, sessile or shortly pedicellate, ovoid or obovoid; perianth and androecium confined to the rim of the receptacular tube, in whorls of 3, free; sepals scale-like, similar to bracts; petals larger, fleshy; fertile stamens 9 or 6, staminodes 6 or 3; stamens of 1st (outermost) whorl petaloid; those of the 2-rid whorl opposite and shortly adhering to the petals, fusiform; those of 3rd whorl fusiform, extrorse, rarely sterile; those of the 4th (innermost) whorl sterile and about half the size of the fertile stamens.

Fruit globular or fusiform, bearing on top the lignified perianth and androecium, sometimes crowned by a glandular ting; seed bony, exendospermic; cotyledons hemispherical.

Distribution:  Of 17 species, 1 is cosmopolitan mainly in the tropics, 15 occur in Australia and 13 are endemic.

Biology: All Australian taxa are illustrated in Weber (1981) J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 3:187-262. All species parasitise a very wide range of host species. Some authors place this genus in the Cassythaceae.

Key to Species:

1. Plant glabrous, cilia and fimbriae 0; inflorescence a pedunculate cluster or head; flowers white	C. glabella 1.
1. Plant pubescent, cilia or fimbriae sometimes present; inflorescence various; flowers yellow or grey to black
2. Closed flowers black, 2-3 mm long; pubescence on petals short, thick, black, retrorse; inflorescence a loose pedunculate spike; fruit glabrous (rarely sprinkled with a few hairs), smooth, green, drying black; ovary glabrous	C. melantha 2.
2. Closed flowers grey, yellow or green, less than 2 mm long; pubescence on petals grey mixed with red or 0; inflorescence mostly condensed; fruit pubescent, colour when dry greyish; ovary glabrous or pubescent
3. Bracts and perianth practically glabrous; petals yellow or green; fruit streaked alternately with white and red hairs, drying brown or glabrescent and drying black; glandular rim well developed on fruit; ovary glabrous or not	C. peninsularis 3.
3. Bracts and perianth with grey-yellow or red pubescence; petals green-grey; fruit smooth, covered with white or mixed red hairs, drying grey-black; glandular rim absent on fruit; ovary pubescent	C. pubescens 4.

Author: Not yet available