Dendropemon

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Dendropemon
Addisonia - colored illustrations and popular descriptions of plants (1916-(1964)) (16586667309).jpg
Dendropemon caribaeus (artist: F.W.Horne)
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Santalales
Family: Loranthaceae
Genus: Dendropemon
(Blume) Rchb.
Species

See text

Dendropemon is a genus of mistletoes which is endemic to the Caribbean. Members of the genus are hemi-parasites which normally grow on trees and shrubs, although self-parasitism is known to occur. The approximately 31 species range from The Bahamas and Cuba in the north and west, to Barbados and St. Vincent in the southwest. Diversity and endemism is highest on the island of Hispaniola. [1]

Contents

The name Dendropemon coined by botanist Carl Ludwig Blume in 1830. He recognised it as a section within the genus Loranthus , rather than a distinct genus. Although no derivation was given for the name of the genus, it is believed to come from the Greek dendron (δένδρν), tree, and pemon (πήμων), harmful. [2]

Description

Dendropemon is a genus of hemi-parasitic mistletoes which parasitise trees and shrubs. Plants are "moderate" sized with simple, opposite leaves and stems that are generally rounded or square, but are occasionally winged. Epicortical roots are present in most, if not all species. [3] These roots run along the surface of the host plant's branches and produce haustoria which grow into the stem of the host plant. [4] Fruit are single-seeded berries that can be multi-coloured, often black, purple, red or orange. The seeds are surrounded by viscin, [3] which helps them adhere to tree branches.

Selected species

Notes

  1. Kuijt (2011) pp. 14-15
  2. Stearn, William T. (1968). "Dendropemon, Macrosolen and Other Generic Names in Loranthaceae". Taxon. 17 (2): 157–158. doi:10.2307/1216505. JSTOR   1216505.
  3. 1 2 Kuijt (2011) pp. 16-17
  4. Wilson, Carol A.; Clyde L. Calvin (2006). "An origin of aerial branch parasitism in the mistletoe family, Loranthaceae". American Journal of Botany. 93 (5): 787–796. doi:10.3732/ajb.93.5.787. PMID   21642141.

Related Research Articles

Mistletoe Common name for a parasitic plant that grows on trees and shrubs

Mistletoe is the English common name for most obligate hemiparasitic plants in the order Santalales. They are attached to their host tree or shrub by a structure called the haustorium, through which they extract water and nutrients from the host plant. Their parasitic lifestyle has led to some dramatic changes in their metabolism.

Loranthaceae family of plants

Loranthaceae, commonly known as the showy mistletoes, is a family of flowering plants. It consists of about 75 genera and 1,000 species of woody plants, many of them hemiparasites. The three terrestrial species are Nuytsia floribunda, Atkinsonia ligustrina, and Gaiadendron punctatum Loranthaceae are primarily xylem parasites, but their haustoria may sometimes tap the phloem, while Tristerix aphyllus is almost holoparasitic. For a more complete description of the Australian Loranthaceae, see Flora of Australia online., for the Malesian Loranthaceae see Flora of Malesia.

<i>Nuytsia</i> genus of plants

Nuytsia floribunda is a hemiparasitic tree found in Western Australia. The species is known locally as moodjar and, more recently, the Christmas tree, as the display of intensely bright flowers during the austral summer coincides with the Christmas season.

<i>Phoradendron</i> genus of plants

Phoradendron is a genus of mistletoe, native to warm temperate and tropical regions of the Americas. The center of diversity is the Amazon rainforest. Phoradendron is the largest genus of mistletoe in the Americas, and possibly the largest genus of mistletoes in the world. Traditionally, the genus has been placed in the family Viscaceae, but recent genetic research acknowledged by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group shows this family to be correctly placed within a larger circumscription of the sandalwood family, Santalaceae.

Parasitic plant type of plant that derives some or all of its nutritional requirements from another living plant

A parasitic plant is a plant that derives some or all of its nutritional requirement from another living plant. They make up about 1% of angiosperms and are found in almost every biome. All parasitic plants have modified roots, called haustoria, which penetrate the host plant, connecting them to the conductive system – either the xylem, the phloem, or both. For example, plants like Striga or Rhinanthus connect only to the xylem, via xylem bridges (xylem-feeding). Alternately, plants like Cuscuta and Orobanche connect only to the phloem of the host (phloem-feeding). This provides them with the ability to extract water and nutrients from the host. Parasitic plants are classified depending as to the location where the parasitic plant latches onto the host and the amount of nutrients it requires. Some parasitic plants are able to locate their host plants by detecting chemicals in the air or soil given off by host shoots or roots, respectively. About 4,500 species of parasitic plant in approximately 20 families of flowering plants are known.

<i>Psittacanthus</i> genus of plants

Psittacanthus, also parrot-flower, is a plant genus in the family Loranthaceae. It is a type of mistletoe native from central Mexico southwards to Central America and parts of South America.

<i>Amyema quandang</i> species of plant

Amyema quandang is a species of hemi-parasitic shrub which is widespread throughout the mainland of Australia, especially arid inland regions, sometimes referred to as the grey mistletoe.

<i>Dendrophthoe falcata</i> species of plant

Dendrophthoe falcata is one of the hemiparasitic plants that belong to the mistletoe family Loranthaceae. It is the most common of all the mistletoes that occur in India. At the moment reports say that it has around 401 plant hosts. The genus Dendrophthoe comprises about 31 species spread across tropical Africa, Asia, and Australia among which 7 species are found in India.

<i>Dendrophthoe vitellina</i> species of plant

Dendrophthoe vitellina, commonly known as long-flowered- or apostle mistletoe, is a hemiparasitic plant of the mistletoe family Loranthaceae. The genus Dendrophthoe comprises about 31 species spread across tropical Africa, Asia, and Australia. Despite being collected by Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander in 1788, and depicted in Banks' Florilegium, it was not until 1860 that it was described by Ferdinand von Mueller as Loranthus vitellinus after being collected near Ipswich, and renamed by Philippe Édouard Léon Van Tieghem in 1895.

<i>Phoradendron tomentosum</i> species of plant

Phoradendron tomentosum, the leafy mistletoe, hairy mistletoe or Christmas mistletoe, is a plant parasite. It is characterized by its larger leaves and smaller berries than dwarf mistletoe. Leafy mistletoe seldom kill but they do rob their hosts of moisture and some minerals, causing stress during drought and reducing crop productions on fruit and nut trees. Leafy mistletoe has the ability to photosynthesize on its own but it relies on other plants in order to obtain its nutrients. It attaches itself to a tree and then grows haustoria, in order to get the food and water it needs.

<i>Lysiana exocarpi</i> species of plant

Lysiana exocarpi, commonly known as harlequin mistletoe, is a species of hemiparasitic shrub, endemic to Australia. It is in the Gondwanan family Loranthaceae and is probably the most derived genus of that family with 12 pairs of chromosomes. The Loranthaceae is the most diverse family in the mistletoe group with over 900 species worldwide and including the best known species in Australia. Mistletoes are notable for their relationships with other species. In an early reference to the group in Australia Allan Cunningham explorer and first Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, wrote in 1817: "The Bastard Box is frequently much encumbered with the twining adhering Loranthus aurantiacus which 'Scorning the soil, aloft she springs, Shakes her red plumes and claps her golden wings'."

<i>Atkinsonia</i> genus of plants

Atkinsonia is a hemi-parasitic shrub with oppositely set, entire leaves and yellowish, later rusty-red colored flowers, that is found in Eastern Australia. It is a monotypic genus, the only species being A. ligustrina, and is assigned to the showy mistletoe family, Loranthaceae. It is sometimes called Louisa's mistletoe.

<i>Misodendrum punctulatum</i> species of plant

Misodendrum punctulatum is a species of parasitic plant which grows as a mistletoe on various species of Nothofagus, especially on deciduous species like N. antarctica and N. pumilio, but also on the evergreen N. dombeyi and N. betuloides. It is native to humid forests in the southern part of South America where it grows on trees on south-facing slopes and in shady locations.

<i>Arceuthobium pusillum</i> species of plant

Arceuthobium pusillum is a perennial, obligate parasitic plant in the sandalwood family. Its common names include Dwarf mistletoe or Eastern dwarf mistletoe. It is one of the most widespread dwarf mistletoes within its range which covers the eastern United States and Canada, from Saskatchewan to Nova Scotia and New Jersey. The species name "pusillum" derives from Latin "pusillus", meaning very small.

<i>Psittacanthus schiedeanus</i> species of plant

Psittacanthus schiedeanus G.Don is a species of neotropical mistletoe in the family Loranthaceae, which is native to Panamá, Costa Rica, Honduras and Mexico.

Job Kuijt, is a Canadian botanist, with particular interest in Viscaceae, Loranthaceae and Eremolepidaceae

<i>Muellerina flexialabastra</i> species of plant

Muellerina flexialabastra, common name Hoop pine mistletoe, is a hemiparasitic arial shrub in the family Loranthaceae. The species is endemic to Queensland.

Psittacanthus biternatus is a species of mistletoe in the family Loranthaceae, which is native to Brazil, Venezuela, and Colombia.

<i>Amylotheca</i> genus of plants

Amylotheca is a genus of hemi-parasitic arial shrubs in the family Loranthaceae, found in Borneo, Malaysia, New Caledonia, New Guinea, Australia, Sumatra, Thailand, and Vanuatu.

References