Taxillus

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Taxillus

Description

Aerial stem-parasitic shrubs, more or less clothed in a tomentum of stellate hairs, slender to moderately robust, with epicortical runners bearing secondary haustoria. Leaves opposite. Inflorescence a simple few-flowered umbel; bract single under each flower, simple. Fruit ellipsoid.

Distribution

Africa present, southern Asia from Pakistan to China, and southwards to Borneo present
About 30 species in Africa, southern Asia from Pakistan to China, and southwards to Borneo. In Malesia 1 species.

Taxonomy

The genus is related to Dendrophthoe, differing primarily in its umbellate inflorescence and the small more strongly zygomorphic flowers. For discussion of Afro-Asian origins, see Barlow (1990).

The genus is also closely related to, and difficult to delineate from the sympatric genus Scurrula (see note there).