- Phoradendron californicum
-
Phoradendron californicum Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Core eudicots Order: Santalales Family: Santalaceae Genus: Phoradendron Species: P. californicum Binomial name Phoradendron californicum
Nutt.Phoradendron californicum, the desert mistletoe or mesquite mistletoe, is a parasitic plant native to southern California, Nevada, Arizona, and Baja California. It can be found in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts under 4000 feet elevation.
The mistletoe is a leafless plant that attaches to host plants, often leguminous woody desert trees such as Cercidium and Prosopis.[1] The mistletoe takes water and nutrients from its host plants but it also photosynthesizes.[1]
During the winter it produces inconspicuous, fragrant flowers. Female desert mistletoe produces red berries that are eaten by the phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens), which then spreads the seeds. Phainopeplas cannot digest the seed of desert mistletoe, so the birds disperse the seeds when they defecate or wipe their bills.
References
- Bowers, Janice and Brian Wignall. Shrubs and Trees of the Southwest Deserts. Arizona: Western National Parks Association, 1993.
- Desert Mistletoe Web of Science 5 October 2009
- Epple, Anne. A Field Guide to the Plants of Arizona. Arizona: Lewann Publishing Company, 1995.
- Viscaceae (Loranthaceae). Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.
External links
Categories:- Phoradendron
- Parasitic plants
- Flora of the California desert regions
- Flora of the Sonoran Deserts
- Flora of Baja California
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.