Muellerina celastroides | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Santalales |
Family: | Loranthaceae |
Genus: | Muellerina |
Species: | M. celastroides |
Binomial name | |
Muellerina celastroides | |
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Occurrence data from AVH | |
Synonyms [1] | |
Dendrophthoe celastroides (Sieber ex Schult. & Schult.f.) Mart. Contents |
Muellerina celastroides, common names Banksia mistletoe and coast mistletoe, [3] is a hemiparasitic aerial shrub in the family Loranthaceae. [4] The species is endemic to New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. [4] [5]
Muellerina celastroides is an erect or spreading plant which is smooth except for the inflorescence axis which is covered with minute, brown, densely matted woolly hairs. [6] [7] The leaves are oblong to elliptic and 2.5–7 cm long and 15–25 mm wide, with a rounded apex and an attenuate base. [6] [7] The inflorescence is a raceme of 1–3 pairs of triads, with the stems of lateral flowers being 3–6 mm long. [6] [7] The calyx is entire and about 1 mm long. [6] [7] The corolla in mature bud is 22–35 mm long. [6] [7] The anthers are about 1.5 mm long, with the free part of filament being 8–13 mm long. [7] The fruit is pear-shaped, 7–11 mm long, and green grading to light red. [6] [7]
The most frequently recorded hosts on which M. celastroides grows are Allocasuarina , Banksia , and Eucalyptus species, but it frequently is found on exotics and on other mistletoes. [3] An inventory of host plants for Muellerina celastroides is given by Downey. [8] [9]
Muellerina celastroides hosts the butterflies: Delias nigrina , Delias argenthona , Hypochrysops digglesii , Ogyris abrota , Ogyris zosine and Candelides margarita . [3] [10]
The species was first described by Franz Sieber in 1829 as Loranthus celastroides. [1] [11] It was redescribed by van Tieghem in 1895 as Muellerina celastroides. [1] [2]