[FTEA]
Viscaceae, R. M. Polhill and D. Wiens. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1999
- Morphology General Habit
- Shrubby or elsewhere rarely minute herbs, parasitic on dicotyledons or rarely gymnosperms, glabrous, monoecious or dioecious; branching usually dense and intricate, forked or whorled; internodes rounded or compressed, sometimes ribbed and twisted 90° to form a decussate leaf and branching pattern
- Morphology Leaves
- Leaves well developed or reduced to scales
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
- Dioecious plants with staminate dichasia most commonly bearing (2–)3 flowers; pistillate dichasia with mostly a solitary flower in the bracteal cup Inflorescence a typical or modified dichasium subtended by a pair of usually fused bracts (bracteal cup); dichasia sessile or peduncled, solitary or fascicled, axillary, or axillary and terminal Monoecious plants with central flower usually staminate and lateral ones pistillate, or with all flowers of the dichasium staminate or pistillate
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
- Staminate flowers 3–4-merous; anthers dehiscing by numerous pores Pistillate flowers 3–4-merous; style present or absent; stigma sometimes expanded
- sex Male
- Staminate flowers 3–4-merous; anthers dehiscing by numerous pores
- sex Female
- Pistillate flowers 3–4-merous; style present or absent; stigma sometimes expanded
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Berries white, yellow, orange or red, smooth or warty, pedicelled or sessile in the bracteal cup; style and/or stigma usually persistent in fruit.
[FSOM]
M. Thulin. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1–4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS
- Distribution
- Genus of approximately 100 species, widely distributed in the tropics of Africa (including Madagascar) and Asia, with significant extensions into the north temperate zones of Europe and Asia; in the south temperate regions only in southern Africa and Australia.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
- Inflorescence a typical or modified dichasium subtended by a pair of usually fused bracts (bracteal cup); dichasia sessile or pedunculate, solitary or clustered, axillary, or axillary and terminal-Monoecious plants with central flower usually staminate and lateral ones pistillate, or with all flowers of the dichasium staminate or pistillate
- Morphology General Habit
- Dioecious plants with staminate dichasia most commonly bearing (2–)3 flowers; pistillate dichasia with mostly a solitary flower in the bracteal cup Shrubby (rarely minute herbs), parasitic on dicotyledons (rarely gymnosperms), glabrous, monoecious or dioecious; branching usually dense and intricate, forked or whorled; internodes rounded or compressed, sometimes ribbed and twisted 90° to form a decussate leaf and branching pattern
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
- Pistillate flowers 3–4-merous; style present or absent; stigma sometimes expanded Staminate flowers 3–4-merous; anthers dehiscing by numerous pores
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Berries white, yellow, orange or red, smooth or warty, pedicelled or sessile in the bracteal cup; style and/or stigma usually persistent in fruit.
[FZ]
Flora Zambesiaca. Vol. 9, Part 3. Polygonaceae-Myriaceae. Pope GV, Polhill RM, Martins ES. 2006.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Berries white, yellow, orange or red, smooth or warty, pedicelled or sessile in the bracteal cup; style and/or stigma usually persistent in fruit. Berries white, yellow, orange or red, smooth or warty, pedicelled or sessile in the bracteal cup; style and/or stigma usually persistent in fruit.
- Note
- Problems may be encountered when keying species of Viscum because of evolutionary loss of various organs, e.g. leaves, and extreme size reduction among the reproductive structures commonly employed in identification. Dioecy complicates the problem of identifying staminate plants because most of the useful traits occur in the pistillate inflorescence and fruit. A more serious problem, however, involves the recognition of monoecy. Dioecy in Viscum, unlike many other such groups, is a consistent characteristic and thus an excellent diagnostic character. Leafless monoecious species, however, generally exhibit a paucity to virtual absence of staminate flowers (<10 percent), thus giving the erroneous impression of dioecy. Staminate flowers are generally identifiable by their larger, rounded stature and their shorter, stouter perianth segments, more yellowish colour, and their greater tendency to occur towards the apices of flowering shoots. In monoecious species they are distributed as monads, dyads, or triads in the bracteal cup or (among the African species) as the central flower of the triad. The stamens of monoecious species occur either at the base of the sepals, as they do in all dioecious species, or as a central synandrium. The relatively small size (<1 mm) of many diagnostic features of the pistillate inflorescence and fruit, even if they are consistent, introduce problems of scaling. Thus a fruit 4 mm high is 25 percent longer than a fruit 3 mm high, but the difference would certainly be more apparent if the units were in cm or dm, even though the statistical relationships remain unchanged. All fruit characters apply to mature structures unless otherwise stated. The length of fruiting peduncles and pedicels is particularly critical in this regard, since some species are inevitably borderline in this respect, and full length is not achieved until fruit maturation. In some instances the pedicel may be partially hidden by the bracteal cup. Fruit length is measured from the point of basal attachment to the ring scar that indicates the point at which the perianth segments originally abscissed from the developing fruit. The diameter and ultimate configuration of these scars are often diagnostic, but are not used in the key because they are too difficult to assesss without adequate magnification and critical measuring equipment. The styles are often angular to some extent, and sometimes expanded in one plane, or they appear to be indistinct or absent. In such cases the stigma apparently emerges directly from the summit of the ovary, i.e. the portion of the ovary occurring inside the ring scar. The summit may be flattened, in which case the ring scar is often swollen, or the summit may be slightly elevated to the point of stylar or stigma emergence, giving a volcanate (conical) or mammillate appearance. The stigma may be virtually undefined structurally or slightly expanded to capitate. A number of species have fruits with conspicuous tubercules, but their abundance always decreases during development and some fruit may be smooth at maturity. Fruit colour is generally consistent and remarkably varied between species (white, yellow, dull pink, orange, red) but, unfortunately, fades upon drying. We have generally used vegetative characteristics in the keys where possible to avoid the problem of using floral characters of one sex or another among the dioecious species. When reproductive structures are necessary for identification, we have mostly relied upon characteristics of the pistillate inflorescence, and then the fruit. Most collectors are prone to collect fruiting material and fruits offer more characteristics than the male flowers.
- Distribution
- A genus of c. 100 species, widely distributed in the tropics of Africa, Madagascar and Asia, with significant extensions into the north temperate zones of Europe and Asia; in the south temperate regions only in southern Africa.
- Morphology General Habit
- Shrubby plants (rarely minute herbs), parasitic on dicotyledons (rarely gymnosperms), glabrous, monoecious or dioecious; branching usually dense and intricate, forked or whorled; internodes rounded or compressed, sometimes ribbed and twisted 90° to form a decussate leaf and branching pattern. Shrubby plants (rarely minute herbs), parasitic on dicotyledons (rarely gymnosperms), glabrous, monoecious or dioecious; branching usually dense and intricate, forked or whorled; internodes rounded or compressed, sometimes ribbed and twisted 90° to form a decussate leaf and branching pattern Dioecious plants with staminate dichasia most commonly bearing (2)3 flowers; pistillate dichasia with mostly a solitary flower in the bracteal cup Monoecious plants with central flower usually staminate and lateral ones pistillate, or with all flowers of the dichasium staminate or pistillate.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
- Monoecious plants with central flower usually staminate and lateral ones pistillate, or with all flowers of the dichasium staminate or pistillate. Inflorescence a typical or modified dichasium subtended by a pair of usually fused bracts (bracteal cup); dichasia sessile or peduncled, solitary or fascicled, axillary or axillary and terminal. Inflorescence a typical or modified dichasium subtended by a pair of usually fused bracts (bracteal cup); dichasia sessile or peduncled, solitary or fascicled, axillary or axillary and terminal Dioecious plants with staminate dichasia most commonly bearing (2)3 flowers; pistillate dichasia with mostly a solitary flower in the bracteal cup.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
- Staminate flowers 3–4-merous; anthers dehiscing by numerous pores. Pistillate flowers 3–4-merous; style present or absent; stigma sometimes expanded. Pistillate flowers 3–4-merous; style present or absent; stigma sometimes expanded Staminate flowers 3–4-merous; anthers dehiscing by numerous pores
Native to:
Afghanistan, Albania, Aldabra, Algeria, Amur, Andaman Is., Angola, Assam, Austria, Baleares, Baltic States, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Borneo, Botswana, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cabinda, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Provinces, Central African Repu, Central European Rus, China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast, Comoros, Congo, Corse, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Djibouti, East European Russia, East Himalaya, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, France, Free State, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Great Britain, Greece, Gulf of Guinea Is., Hainan, Hungary, India, Inner Mongolia, Iran, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Jawa, Kenya, Khabarovsk, Korea, Kriti, Krym, KwaZulu-Natal, Laos, Lebanon-Syria, Lesotho, Lesser Sunda Is., Madagascar, Malawi, Malaya, Maluku, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Guinea, New South Wales, Nicobar Is., Nigeria, North Caucasus, Northern Provinces, Northern Territory, Northwest European R, Norway, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Primorye, Qinghai, Queensland, Romania, Rwanda, Réunion, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Sicilia, Society Is., Somalia, South European Russi, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tibet, Transcaucasus, Tuamotu, Turkey, Turkey-in-Europe, Uganda, Ukraine, Vietnam, West Himalaya, Western Australia, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zaïre, Zimbabwe
Introduced into:
British Columbia, California
- Viscum acaciae Danser
- Viscum album L.
- Viscum ambongoense Balle
- Viscum angulatum B.Heyne ex DC.
- Viscum apiculatum Lecomte
- Viscum articulatum Burm.f.
- Viscum bagshawei Rendle
- Viscum bancroftii Blakely
- Viscum bandipurense Thriveni, Shivam., Amruthesh, Vijay & Sadanand
- Viscum birmanicum Gand.
- Viscum boivinii Tiegh.
- Viscum calcaratum Lecomte ex Balle
- Viscum calvinii Polhill & Wiens
- Viscum capense L.f.
- Viscum capitellatum Sm.
- Viscum ceibarum Balle
- Viscum chyuluense Polhill & Wiens
- Viscum coloratum (Kom.) Nakai
- Viscum combreticola Engl.
- Viscum congdonii Polhill & Wiens
- Viscum congolense De Wild. & T.Durand
- Viscum continuum E.Mey. ex Sprague
- Viscum coursii Balle
- Viscum crassulae Eckl. & Zeyh.
- Viscum cruciatum Sieber ex Boiss.
- Viscum cuneifolium Baker
- Viscum cylindricum Polhill & Wiens
- Viscum decaryi Lecomte
- Viscum decurrens (Engl.) Baker & Sprague
- Viscum dielsianum Dinter ex Neusser
- Viscum diospyrosicola Hayata
- Viscum dryophilum Rech.f.
- Viscum echinocarpum Baker
- Viscum engleri Tiegh.
- Viscum exiguum Polhill & Wiens
- Viscum exile Barlow
- Viscum fargesii Lecomte
- Viscum fastigiatum Balle
- Viscum fischeri Engl.
- Viscum goetzei Engl.
- Viscum grandicaule Polhill & Wiens
- Viscum griseum Polhill & Wiens
- Viscum hainanense R.L.Han & D.X.Zhang
- Viscum hexapterum Balle
- Viscum heyneanum DC.
- Viscum hildebrandtii Engl.
- Viscum hoolei (Wiens) Polhill & Wiens
- Viscum indosinense Danser
- Viscum iringense Polhill & Wiens
- Viscum itrafanaombense Balle
- Viscum junodii (Tiegh.) Engl.
- Viscum katikianum Barlow
- Viscum liquidambaricola Hayata
- Viscum littorum Polhill & Wiens
- Viscum longiarticulatum Engl.
- Viscum longipetiolatum Balle
- Viscum lophiocladum Baker
- Viscum loranthi Elmer
- Viscum loranthicola Polhill & Wiens
- Viscum luisengense Polhill & Wiens
- Viscum macrofalcatum R.L.Han & D.X.Zhang
- Viscum malurianum Sanjai & N.P.Balakr.
- Viscum menyharthii Engl. & Schinz
- Viscum minimum Harv.
- Viscum monoicum Roxb. ex DC.
- Viscum multicostatum Baker
- Viscum multiflorum Lecomte
- Viscum multinerve (Hayata) Hayata
- Viscum multipedunculatum Lecomte
- Viscum myriophlebium Baker
- Viscum mysorense Gamble
- Viscum nepalense Spreng.
- Viscum nudum Danser
- Viscum obovatum Harv.
- Viscum obscurum Thunb.
- Viscum oreophilum Wiens
- Viscum orientale Willd.
- Viscum ovalifolium Wall. ex DC.
- Viscum pauciflorum L.f.
- Viscum pentanthum Baker
- Viscum perrieri Lecomte
- Viscum petiolatum Polhill & Wiens
- Viscum radula Baker
- Viscum ramosissimum Roxb. ex DC.
- Viscum rhipsaloides Baker
- Viscum roncartii Balle
- Viscum rotundifolium L.f.
- Viscum sahyadricum Sardesai, S.P.Gaikwad & S.R.Yadav
- Viscum schaeferi Engl. & K.Krause
- Viscum schimperi Engl.
- Viscum scurruloideum Barlow
- Viscum semialatum Lecomte
- Viscum songimveloensis Oosth. & K.Balkwill
- Viscum stenocarpum Danser
- Viscum subracemosum Sanjai & N.P.Balakr.
- Viscum subserratum Schltr.
- Viscum subverrucosum Polhill & Wiens
- Viscum tenue Engl.
- Viscum tieghemii Balle
- Viscum trachycarpum Baker
- Viscum triflorum DC.
- Viscum trilobatum Talbot
- Viscum tsaratananense Lecomte
- Viscum tsiafajavonense Balle
- Viscum tuberculatum A.Rich.
- Viscum verrucosum Harv.
- Viscum vohimavoense Balle
- Viscum whitei Blakely
- Viscum wrayi King ex Gamble
- Viscum yunnanense H.S.Kiu
Viscum L. appears in other Kew resources:
Date | Reference | Identified As | Barcode | Type Status | Has image? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Drummond, R.B. [2791], Tanzania | 23486.000 | No | |||
Wild, H. [SRGH.34643], Zimbabwe | 35226.000 | No | |||
Congdon, T.C.E. [130], Tanzania | 52376.000 | No | |||
Polhill, R.M. [5251], Malawi | 52385.000 | No | |||
Polhill, R.M.&D [5251], Malawi | 52389.000 | No | |||
Polhill, R.M. [5259], Tanzania | 52390.000 | No | |||
Harris, D.J. [2547], Cameroon | 63120.000 | No | |||
DuPuy, B. [MB 373], Madagascar | 63484.000 | No | |||
DuPuy, B. [MB 598], Madagascar | 63570.000 | No | |||
s.coll. [Cat. no. 495], Indian Subcontinent | K001132527 | Yes |
First published in Sp. Pl.: 1023 (1753)
Accepted by
- Govaerts, R., Nic Lughadha, E., Black, N., Turner, R. & Paton, A. (2021). The World Checklist of Vascular Plants, a continuously updated resource for exploring global plant diversity. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-021-00997-6 Scientific Data 8: 215.
Literature
Flora of West Tropical Africa
- —F.T.A. 6, 1: 393.
Flora Zambesiaca
- Gen. Pl., ed. 5: 448 (1754).
- Sp. Pl. 2: 1023 (1753)
Flora of Somalia
- Flora Somalia, Vol 2, (1999) Author: by R.M. Polhill & D. Wiens [updated by M. Thulin 2008]
Flora of Tropical East Africa
- L., Gen. Pl., ed. 5: 448 (1754)
- Polh. & Wiens, Mistletoes Afr.: 279 (1998)
- Sp. Pl.: 1023 (1753)
-
Flora Zambesiaca
Flora Zambesiaca
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
-
Flora of Somalia
Flora of Somalia
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
-
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Flora of Tropical East Africa
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
-
Herbarium Catalogue Specimens
Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
-
Kew Backbone Distributions
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
-
Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0