Phoradendron juniperinum
Encyclopedia
Phoradendron juniperinum is a species of flowering plant in the sandalwood family
known by the common name juniper mistletoe. It is native to the southwestern United States from Oregon
to Texas
and the northern states of Mexico, where it grows in various types of woodland habitat.
This mistletoe
parasitizes
species of juniper
, including Utah
(Juniperus osteosperma), Rocky Mountain
(J. scopulorum), and western juniper
(Juniperus occidentalis).
It is a shrub
producing many erect and spreading yellow-green branches 20 to 40 centimeters long from a woody base where it attaches to its host tree, tapping the xylem
for water and nutrients. It is hemiparasitic, meaning it contains some chlorophyll
and can photosynthesize
some energy for itself as well. The smooth, noded branches have flattened, scale-like leaves. The plant is dioecious
, with male and female individuals producing different forms of inflorescence
with knobby flower clusters. Female flowers yield shiny light pink spherical berries
each about 4 millimeters wide.
Birds eat the fruits and excrete the undigested seeds on tree branches, where they root. Several Native American tribes used this mistletoe for medicinal purposes, for tea
s, and at times for food.
Santalaceae
Santalaceae is a widely distributed family of flowering plants which, like other members of Santalales, are partially parasitic on other plants...
known by the common name juniper mistletoe. It is native to the southwestern United States from Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
to Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and the northern states of Mexico, where it grows in various types of woodland habitat.
This mistletoe
Mistletoe
Mistletoe is the common name for obligate hemi-parasitic plants in several families in the order Santalales. The plants in question grow attached to and within the branches of a tree or shrub.-Mistletoe in the genus Viscum:...
parasitizes
Parasitic plant
A parasitic plant is one that derives some or all of its sustenance from another plant. About 4,100 species in approximately 19 families of flowering plants are known. Parasitic plants have a modified root, the haustorium, that penetrates the host plant and connects to the xylem, phloem, or...
species of juniper
Juniper
Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on taxonomic viewpoint, there are between 50-67 species of juniper, widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, from the Arctic, south to tropical Africa in the Old World, and to the...
, including Utah
Juniperus osteosperma
Juniperus osteosperma is a shrub or small tree reaching 3-6 m tall. It is native to the southwestern United States, in Utah, Nevada, Arizona, western New Mexico, western Colorado, Wyoming, southern Montana, southern Idaho and eastern California...
(Juniperus osteosperma), Rocky Mountain
Juniperus scopulorum
Juniperus scopulorum is a species of juniper native to western North America, in Canada in British Columbia and southwest Alberta, in the United States from Washington east to North Dakota, south to Arizona and also locally western Texas, and northernmost Mexico from Sonora east to Coahuila...
(J. scopulorum), and western juniper
Juniperus occidentalis
Juniperus occidentalis is a shrub or tree native to the western United States, growing in mountains at altitudes of 800-3,000 m .-Description:...
(Juniperus occidentalis).
It is a shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
producing many erect and spreading yellow-green branches 20 to 40 centimeters long from a woody base where it attaches to its host tree, tapping the xylem
Xylem
Xylem is one of the two types of transport tissue in vascular plants. . The word xylem is derived from the Classical Greek word ξυλον , meaning "wood"; the best-known xylem tissue is wood, though it is found throughout the plant...
for water and nutrients. It is hemiparasitic, meaning it contains some chlorophyll
Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in almost all plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. Its name is derived from the Greek words χλωρος, chloros and φύλλον, phyllon . Chlorophyll is an extremely important biomolecule, critical in photosynthesis, which allows plants to obtain energy from light...
and can photosynthesize
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is a chemical process that converts carbon dioxide into organic compounds, especially sugars, using the energy from sunlight. Photosynthesis occurs in plants, algae, and many species of bacteria, but not in archaea. Photosynthetic organisms are called photoautotrophs, since they can...
some energy for itself as well. The smooth, noded branches have flattened, scale-like leaves. The plant is dioecious
Plant sexuality
Plant sexuality covers the wide variety of sexual reproduction systems found across the plant kingdom. This article describes morphological aspects of sexual reproduction of plants....
, with male and female individuals producing different forms of inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
with knobby flower clusters. Female flowers yield shiny light pink spherical berries
Berry
The botanical definition of a berry is a fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary. Grapes are an example. The berry is the most common type of fleshy fruit in which the entire ovary wall ripens into an edible pericarp. They may have one or more carpels with a thin covering and fleshy interiors....
each about 4 millimeters wide.
Birds eat the fruits and excrete the undigested seeds on tree branches, where they root. Several Native American tribes used this mistletoe for medicinal purposes, for tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
s, and at times for food.