Phoradendron capitellatum |
Phoradendron rubrum |
|
---|---|---|
downy mistletoe, hairy mistletoe, woolly mistletoe |
mahogany mistletoe, narrow-leaf mistletoe |
|
Habit | Subshrubs, erect but pendulous with age, 3–6 dm, dioecious. | Subshrubs, erect, 3.5–5 dm, monoecious. |
Stems | green, densely hairy, hairs stellate, fine, white; internodes terete, 5–15 × 1–2 mm. |
green, glabrous; internodes quadrangular proximally, flattened distally, keeled proximally to nodes, 20–30 × 3(–7) mm. |
Leaves | green, well developed; petiole indistinct; blade narrowly elliptic to spatulate or oblanceolate, 8–15 × 1–3 mm, fleshy, base cuneate, apex rounded or acute; basal phyllotaxy median. |
dull green, well developed; petiole (3–)5(–8) mm; blade obovate, elliptic, oblanceolate, or oblong-lanceolate, (40–)50.5(–90) × 20–40 mm, thin, base cuneate, apex rounded; basal phyllotaxy median. |
Inflorescences | bisexual, staminate flowers few, irregularly placed among pistillate, to 25 mm; peduncle with 1(–2) internodes, each 3 mm; fertile internodes 3, each 6–18-flowered, biseriate, flowers 1–4 per column. |
|
Flowers | petals 3, 1 mm. |
petals 3, 1 mm. |
Berries | pinkish white, globose, 3.5 × 3.5 mm, glabrous. |
lemon yellow or orange [pink, red], ovoid to globose, 4 × 3 mm, glabrous. |
Staminate | inflorescences 3–5 mm; peduncle with 1 internode, 0.5–2.5 mm; fertile internodes 1–2, each 6-flowered, seriation unknown, flowers 3 (2 proximal, 1 distal) per bract. |
|
Pistillate | inflorescences 3–5 mm; peduncle with 1 internode, 0.5–2.5 mm; fertile internodes 1–2, each 2-flowered, flowers 1 per bract, deeply embedded in axis. |
|
2n | = 28. |
|
Phoradendron capitellatum |
Phoradendron rubrum |
|
Phenology | Flowering winter. | Flowering throughout the year. |
Habitat | Juniper-pinyon woodlands. | Hammocks with West Indian mahogany. |
Elevation | 1000–2000 m. (3300–6600 ft.) | 0–500 m. (0–1600 ft.) |
Distribution |
AZ; NM; TX; Mexico (Chihuahua, Sonora)
|
FL; West Indies |
Discussion | Phoradendron capitellatum is parasitic exclusively on Juniperus (for example, J. monosperma, J. osteosperma, and J. pinchotii). This species has sometimes been classified as a subspecies of P. bolleanum; however, it differs in flowering time, basal phyllotaxy, stellate pubescence, and inflorescences sometimes with more than one fertile internode. These two species, along with P. juniperinum, were supported as monophyletic using molecular data, although relationships among them were not fully resolved (V. E. T. M. Ashworth 2000). These parasites of conifers were all classified in sect. Pauciflorae Engler in the sense of D. Wiens (1964). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Phoradendron rubrum is a mainly Caribbean species that has been recorded in the flora area only from Key Largo, Monroe County. Its primary host is Swietenia mahagoni, but it has been found also on Byrsonima, Guapira, Mangifera, and Pisonia. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 12, p. 436. | FNA vol. 12, p. 436. |
Parent taxa | Viscaceae > Phoradendron | Viscaceae > Phoradendron |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | P. bolleanum var. capitellatum | Viscum rubrum |
Name authority | Torrey ex Trelease: Phoradendron, 25, plate 17. (1916) | (Linnaeus) Grisebach: Fl. Brit. W.I., 314. (1860) |
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