Phoradendron californicum

Nuttall

J. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, n. s. 1: 185. 1848.

Common names: Mesquite mistletoe
Synonyms: Phoradendron californicum var. distans Trelease P. californicum var. leucocarpum (Trelease ex Munz & I. M. Johnston) Jepson
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 12. Treatment on page 435. Mentioned on page 434, 436.

Subshrubs, pendent, 1–5(–20) dm, dioecious. Stems grayish green to reddish green (in full sun), densely hairy, hairs silvery white, closely appressed, becoming glabrate; internodes terete, 10–20(–30) × 1–1.7(–2.5) mm. Leaves grayish green, scalelike; blade triangular, 1.5–3 mm, apex acute; basal phyllotaxy transverse or median. Staminate inflorescence 5–25 mm, peduncle with 1(–2) internodes, each 0.5–3 mm; fertile internodes (1–)2–3(–5), each 6–14-flowered, biseriate, flowers 1–3 per column. Pistillate inflorescences 5–10 mm, elongating in fruit; peduncle with 1(–2) internodes, each 0.5–3 mm; fertile internodes (1–)2–4(–6), each 2-flowered, flowers 1 per bract. Flowers: petals 3(–4), 1–2 mm. Berries white, translucent yellowish, pinkish, orange-red, or maroon, globose, 3–6 × 3–6 mm, glabrous. 2n = 28.


Phenology: Flowering late fall–winter.
Habitat: Desert scrub or washes with mesquite or acacia.
Elevation: 0–1800 m.

Distribution

V12 1013-distribution-map.jpg

Ariz., Calif., Nev., Utah, Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sinaloa, Sonora).

Discussion

Phoradendron californicum, like P. juniperinum, bears only scalelike leaves, but this character has evolved independently in the two species (V. E. T. M. Ashworth 2000). Phoradendron californicum differs by its different hosts (legumes versus conifers) and inflorescences with more than one fertile internode. Molecular data indicate that P. californicum is not part of the acataphyllous Boreales group in the sense of W. Trelease (1916) but allied with cataphyllous tropical species (Ashworth). Varieties and host races have been proposed but these are not recognized in the most recent monograph of the genus (J. Kuijt 2003). In addition to its primary hosts, Prosopis, Senegalia, and Vachellia, Phoradendron californicum has also been recorded from a number of other hosts including Condalia, Dalea, Ebenopsis, Havardia, Larrea, Olneya, Parkinsonia, and sometimes is hyperparasitic on Psittacanthus.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Phoradendron californicum"
Daniel L. Nickrent +
Nuttall +
Mesquite mistletoe +
Ariz. +, Calif. +, Nev. +, Utah +, Mexico (Baja California +, Baja California Sur +, Sinaloa +  and Sonora). +
0–1800 m. +
Desert scrub or washes with mesquite or acacia. +
Flowering late fall–winter. +
J. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, n. s. +
Phoradendron californicum var. distans +  and P. californicum var. leucocarpum +
Phoradendron californicum +
Phoradendron +
species +