Phoradendron dipterum

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Phoradendron dipterum

Content

<<Female inflorescences>Flowers>Flower number per bract

13-211
1. 004-003-001

<<Female inflorescences>Flowers>Series

3-seriate2
2. 004-003-002

<<Female inflorescences>Peduncle>Fertile internode number

63
3. 004-002-002

<<Female inflorescences>Peduncle>Length

0.3-0.4 cm long4
4. 004-002-001

<<Habit>Basal cataphylls>Cataphyll pair number

1 pair5
5. 001-003-001

<<Habit>Basal cataphylls>Relative distance

0.3-0.5 cm above base6
6. 001-003-002

<<Habit>Internodes>Length

to 8 cm long7
7. 001-001-001

<<Habit>Lowest internodes of lateral shoots>Position

lateral8
8. 001-002-001

<<Leaf blades>Base>Width

to 0.3-0.4(0.7) cm wide9
9. 002-004-001

<Female inflorescences>Flowers

flowers per fertile bract, .10
10. 004-003

<Female inflorescences>Length

to 8.5 cm long11
11. 004-001

<Female inflorescences>Peduncle

peduncle simple, , followed by about fertile internodes;12
12. 004-002

<Fruits>Dimensions

0.2 x 0.2 cm13
13. 005-001

<Fruits>Perianth segments

perianth segments closed.14
14. 005-002

<Habit>Basal cataphylls

basal cataphylls , , median in position, somewhat flaring when dry, rarely with a second pair somewhat higher.15
15. 001-003

<Habit>Internodes

internodes strongly compressed, , some tending to be quadrangular or even 4-winged;16
16. 001-001

<Habit>Lowest internodes of lateral shoots

lowest internodes of shoots often keeled or more or less terete-quadrangular;17
17. 001-002

<Leaf blades>Apex

apex rounded,18
18. 002-003

<Leaf blades>Base

base tapering in, flat, indistinct petiole, or somewhat amplexicaul;19
19. 002-004

<Leaf blades>Dimensions

to 9(-13) x 3 cm20
20. 002-002

<Leaf blades>Shape

narrowly obovate to slightly spatulate21
21. 002-001

<Leaf blades>Veins

venation evident, of several basal, parallel veins nearly running into apex.22
22. 002-005

Description

Glabrous, percurrent, often vigorous plants; internodes strongly compressed, to 8 cm long, some tending to be quadrangular or even 4-winged; lowest internodes of lateral shoots often keeled or more or less terete-quadrangular; basal cataphylls 1 pair, 0.3-0.5 cm above base, median in position, somewhat flaring when dry, rarely with a second pair somewhat higher. Leaf blade narrowly obovate to slightly spatulate, to 9(-13) x 3 cm, apex rounded, base tapering into 0.3-0.4(0.7) cm wide, flat, indistinct petiole, or somewhat amplexicaul; venation evident, of several basal, parallel veins nearly running into apex. Dioecious. Female inflorescence to 8.5 cm long, peduncle simple, 0.3-0.4 cm long, followed by about 6 fertile internodes; flowers 13-21 per fertile bract, 3-seriate. Fruit spherical, 0.2 x 0.2 cm, perianth segments closed.

Distribution

Argentina present, C Mexico present, Greater Antilles present, Southern America: Paraguay (Paraguay present), eastern Bolivia present, tropical America present
Tropical America, from C Mexico, Greater Antilles, to eastern Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina; 250 collections studied (GU: 1; SU: 2).

Female inflorescences

Female inflorescence ,23
23. 004

Fruits

Fruit spherical, ,24
24. 005

Habit

Glabrous, percurrent, often vigorous plants;25
25. 001

Individuals Association

Suriname, near Paramaribo, Splitgerber 240 Guyana, Demerara, Essequibo above Bartica, Jenman 2546 Suriname, Forests of Zanderij, Samuels 451

Leaf blades

Leaf blade , ,26
26. 002

Notes

P. dipterum is a member of a (perhaps always) hyperparasitic group of species which attack other mistletoes, often (but not exclusively) other species of Phoradendron. Its great variability of leaf size and stem morphology may be related to the different hosts parasitized, or perhaps to their vigor. The expression of the winged character of the stem varies not only from plant to plant, but even within a plant; the lowest lateral internodes are usually wingless, and elsewhere 2-winged and 4-winged internodes are sometimes found on the same individual. Another interesting feature of the group is the fact that secondary stems, lacking basal cataphylls, may sprout from a basal cushion, not found in other species.

Plant sexuality

Dioecious.27
27. 003