Jump to content

Viscum minimum

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Viscum minimum
Viscum minimum leaf scales and flowers emerging from the host plant.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Santalales
Family: Santalaceae
Genus: Viscum
Species:
V. minimum
Binomial name
Viscum minimum

Viscum minimum is a species of mistletoe in the family Santalaceae. It is a parasitic plant native to South Africa.

Description

[edit]

In its native habitat Viscum minimum uses two species of succulents, Euphorbia polygona and Euphorbia horrida, as host plants. However, given the opportunity, the plant uses a range of succulents, including cacti, as hosts.

A mature Viscum minimum consists mostly of haustoria within the host plant, with small stems of less than one millimeter in length each with a single whorl of 2-3 scale-like leaves. A single flower, and later a red round fruit with a diameter of 8-9 millimeters, emerges from these stems. The leaves and stems are capable of photosynthesis, making the plant technically a hemiparasite.

The Viscum minimum mitochondrial genome has been sequenced, showing an unusual loss of genes or their functions. [1]

Seed germination

[edit]

Literature

[edit]
  • William Henry Harvey: Flora Capensis 2: 581
  • Robert Allen Dyer: Two Rare Parasites on Succulent Species of Euphorbia, Euphorbia Review Vol. I (4): 29-32, 1935
  • Thomas Goebel: Viscum minimum Harvey in der Sukkulentensammlung der Stadt Zürich, Kakteen und andere Sukkulenten 29 (1), 1978
  • Frank K. Horwood: Two parasites of Euphorbia: Viscum minimum and Hydnora africana, The Euphorbia Journal, Vol 1: 45-48, 1983

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Massive gene loss in mistletoe (Viscum, Viscaceae) mitochondria Nature Accessed 5.1.2018