Phthirusa pyrifolia
Content
Description
Epicortical roots from base of plant only, often profuse; stems compressed and keeled when young, often 0.6 cm or more wide just below nodes, completely and finely furfuraceous or with distict furfuraceous lines separated by green epidermis. Petiole distinct, ca. 1 cm long, somewhat compressed and keeled; blade dark green, shiny when fresh, rather thin, broadly lanceolate, ca. 10 (-18) x 4-5 cm but sometimes larger, apex somewhat attenuate or even mucronate, base obtuse to truncate; venation pinnate. Inflorescence mostly 1 per foliar axil, sometimes clustered but not in terminal groups, 6-8 cm long or more with at least 14-20 triads on short peduncles or quite sessile; axis olive green to furfuraceous, of rough texture, terete. Flowers sessile, laterals with 2 prophylls each forming a small, dentate floral cup; petals dark wine-red to pale red, 0.15 cm long; stamens sessile, with brief, fleshy filament. Fruit ellipsoid, ca. 0.8 x 0.5 cm, rather blunt, at maturity bright orange red with yellowish apex and dark, purple-green base; embryo with large primary haustorium at maturity.
Distribution
C America present, Guianas present, Jamaica present, Northern America: Mexico Southeast (Chiapas present), Southern America: Bolivia (Bolivia present), eastern Peru present, southern Mexico present, tropical S America present
Southern Mexico (Chiapas) through C America, Jamaica and most of tropical S America, including eastern Peru and Bolivia; probably the most widespread of neotropical Loranthaceae; many hundreds of collections studied, ca. 35 from the Guianas (GU: 10; SU: 6; FG: 17).