Transcript Psittacanthus schiedeanus

LORANTHACEAE
etc.
magnoliids
monocots
Loranthaceae and Santalaceae are
distinct families in the Santalales
The bastard toadflax (Comandra umbellata) of the Santalaceae is in
Vermont.
LORANTHACEAE (SANTALALES, CORE EUDICOTS)
NUMBERS: 60-70 Genera, 950 species
GEOGRAPHY: tropical and sub tropical, especially in southern hemisphere
HABITAT: parasites, usually attached above ground to stems, sometimes
(Gaiadendron) attached to roots).
SANTALALES CHARACTERS
HABIT: Hemiparasites;
LEAVES entire veins obscure
CALYX: often reduced,
COROLLA ESTIVATION: valvate
STAMENS: equal to and opposite corolla,
HYPANTHIUM: present
DISC: present
EMBRYO SAC AND EMBRYO DEVELOPMENT: reduced
FRUIT: fleshy, 1-seeded, the seed often with viscid coat or stone
http://biodiversity.uno.edu/delta/angio/images/loran789.gif
CHARACTERS OF THE FAMILY
HABIT: stem parasites
STEMS: not jointed (as in Viscaceae)
LEAVES: usually opposite, often rather thick and brittle leaves with entire
margins and inconspicuous venation
FLOWERS: long, narrowly tubular and brightly colored - often red and/or
orange; often have one or more bracts at the base and immediately to one
side of the ovary
OVARY: inferior
GENERA: Tapinanthus (250), Amyema (95), Gaiadendron (14), Psittacanthus
(50), Struthanthus (50).
Viscaceae,(7-8 genera, 350 species, 200 in Phoradendron) included in Santalaceae by
Judd: dinky little flowers and leafless stems common. Genera include Arceuthobium,
Phoradendron, Dendroph thora, Korthalsella
Psittacanthus – its place in
the forest
Psittacanthus - parasite on montane-forest oaks in Costa Rica
Psittacanthus schiedeanus seedling
showing the numerous cotyledons.
Struthanthus sp.
Seedling
Photo by D. L. Nickrent. [DLN 3012]
wilson2006.pdf
Amylotheca dictyophleba
Photographer: Ollerenshaw
Gaiadendron - a small tree that is parasitic on roots of Ericaceae
Mistletoes elsewhere in the Santalaceae
are in the tribe Visceae
Arceuthobium, Phoradendron,
Dendrophthora, Korthasella
Key characters:
Monoecious stem parasites with brittle,
jointed stems, tiny flowers, and two fused
cotyledons
Phoradendron - the mistletoe genus familiar to most people in
North America (in Europe it’s Viscum album)
Korthalsella- a mistletoe with flat
stems and no leaves from Hawaii.
Genus
distribution
Mia Molvray, Paul J. Kores and Mark W. Chase, 1999
Dendrophthora - an extremely
reduced mistletoe from high
montane Costa rica
Arceuthobium - the native mistletoe of the Northeast
Explosive fruit dehiscence