Plants apparently dioecious stem parasites, achlorophyllous; roots not produced. Stems not sessile, 1-locular anthers connate to distal portion of central column, not produced in pistillate flowers, column expanded at apex, sometimes into knob or disc; pistils in staminate flowers with only stylar column present, in pistillate flowers ovary partially inferior, indistinctly 4- or 5-carpellate, 1-locular; placentation parietal; ovules numerous. Fruits berrylike capsules, ± fleshy. Seeds numerous, minute.
SELECTED REFERENCES Bellot, S. and S. S. Renner. 2014. The systematics of the worldwide endoparasite family Apodanthaceae (Cucurbitales), with a key, a map, and color photos of most species. PhytoKeys 36: 41–57. Filipowicz, N., and S. S. Renner. 2010. The worldwide holoparasitic Apodanthaceae confidently placed in the Cucurbitales by nuclear and mitochondrial gene trees. B. M. C. Evol. Biol. 10: 219.