Phoradendron villosum
Encyclopedia
Phoradendron villosum is a species of flowering plant in the sandalwood family
known by the common names Pacific mistletoe and oak mistletoe. It is native to western North America from Oregon
south into Mexico, where it grows in oak woodland and similar habitat.
This mistletoe
is a parasitic plant
on host trees, especially oak
species, and other trees and woody shrub
s such as manzanitas
, California bay laurel
, and sumac
.
It is a shrub producing many erect gray-green or yellow-green branches which may reach a meter long. Its stems are lined with pairs of hairy, oval, oppositely arranged leaves up to about 5 centimeters long by 2.5 wide. As a hemiparasite the mistletoe taps its host tree for water and nutrients but contains some chlorophyll
and can photosynthesize
some energy for itself as well. The plant is dioecious
, with male and female individuals producing different forms of inflorescence
; both are rough, elongated clusters of tiny flowers. Female flowers yield pale pink spherical or oval berries
each 3 or 4 millimeters wide.
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 names Pacific mistletoe and oak mistletoe. It is native to western North America 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...
south into Mexico, where it grows in oak woodland and similar 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:...
is a parasitic plant
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...
on host trees, especially oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
species, and other trees and woody 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...
s such as manzanitas
Arctostaphylos
Arctostaphylos is a genus of plants comprised by the manzanitas and bearberries. They are shrubs or small trees.There are about 60 species of Arctostaphylos, ranging from ground-hugging arctic, coastal, and mountain species to small trees up to 6 m tall. Most are evergreen , with small oval...
, California bay laurel
Umbellularia
Umbellularia californica is a large tree native to coastal forests of California and slightly extended into Oregon.It is the sole species in the genus Umbellularia....
, and sumac
Sumac
Sumac is any one of approximately 250 species of flowering plants in the genus Rhus and related genera, in the family Anacardiaceae. Sumacs grow in subtropical and temperate regions throughout the world, especially in Africa and North America....
.
It is a shrub producing many erect gray-green or yellow-green branches which may reach a meter long. Its stems are lined with pairs of hairy, oval, oppositely arranged leaves up to about 5 centimeters long by 2.5 wide. As a hemiparasite the mistletoe taps its host tree for water and nutrients but 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 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...
; both are rough, elongated clusters of tiny flowers. Female flowers yield pale pink spherical or oval 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 3 or 4 millimeters wide.