Family: Santalaceae
Author: (Kunth) Trel.
Bibliography: Phoradendron: 145 (1916)
Year: 1916
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Phoradendron
Vegetable: False
Observations: Mexico to Trop. America
Description
Piper mistletoe, scientifically known as Phoradendron piperoides, is a fascinating plant species belonging to the Santalaceae family. This remarkable plant was officially described by the botanist (Kunth) Trel., with significant information documented in the monograph “Phoradendron” in 1916.
Phoradendron piperoides is a hemi-parasitic plant species native to a broad range extending from Mexico through to tropical regions of the Americas. This wide distribution highlights its adaptability to various climatic conditions across its natural habitat.
Like other members of the Santalaceae family, Piper mistletoe engages in a unique biological relationship with its host plants. It attaches itself to the branches or trunks of its host through specialized structures called haustoria, which facilitate the transfer of water and nutrients from the host plant to the mistletoe. This parasitic relationship allows Piper mistletoe to thrive in diverse environments, even under conditions where it may be challenging for other plants to survive on their own.
The presence of Piper mistletoe within an ecosystem can have a profound impact on local biodiversity. It often provides critical resources such as nesting sites and food for a variety of bird species. The berries produced by the plant are an important food source for birds, which in turn help disperse the seeds and enable the mistletoe to colonize new areas.
In summary, Phoradendron piperoides, or Piper mistletoe, is a hemi-parasitic plant with a notable presence from Mexico to tropical America, playing a significant ecological role in the habitats it occupies. Its adaptive parasitic mechanism and mutualistic relationship with wildlife underscore its importance within the plant kingdom.
Common Names
Eng: piper mistletoe
En: Piper mistletoe
Es: Matapalo
Synonyms
- Phoradendron piperoides f. compositum (Trel.)
- Viscum tereticaule var. cubense (DC.)
- Phoradendron morazanense (Standl. & L.O.Williams)
- Viscum fockeanum (Miq.)
- Viscum torulosum ((Kunth) DC.)
- Phoradendron ficulneum (Trel.)
- Viscum toruloides (Eichler)
- Loranthus granularis (Willd. ex Schult. & Schult.f.)
- Phoradendron latifolium f. hexastichum (Urb.)
- Viscum saururoides (DC.)
- Phoradendron laurifolium ((C.Presl) Eichler)
- Phoradendron tereticaule (Nutt.)
- Phoradendron latifolium (Griseb.)
- Phoradendron torulosum ((Kunth) Eichler)
- Phoradendron biolleyi (K.Krause)
- Viscum piperoides ((Kunth) DC.)
- Viscum tereticaule (DC.)
- Loranthus torulosus (Kunth)
- Viscum schottii (Pohl ex DC.)
- Phoradendron saururoides (Nutt.)
- Phoradendron glaucolutescens (Rizzini)
- Viscum laurifolium (C.Presl)
- Loranthus piperoides (Kunth)
- Phoradendron schottii ((Pohl ex DC.) A.Gray)
Distribution
- Argentina Northeast (native)
- Belize (native)
- Bolivia (native)
- Brazil North (native)
- Brazil Northeast (native)
- Brazil South (native)
- Brazil Southeast (native)
- Brazil West-Central (native)
- Colombia (native)
- Costa Rica (native)
- Cuba (native)
- Dominican Republic (native)
- Ecuador (native)
- El Salvador (native)
- French Guiana (native)
- Guatemala (native)
- Guyana (native)
- Haiti (native)
- Honduras (native)
- Jamaica (native)
- Leeward Is. (native)
- Mexico Central (native)
- Mexico Gulf (native)
- Mexico Southeast (native)
- Mexico Southwest (native)
- Nicaragua (native)
- Panamá (native)
- Paraguay (native)
- Peru (native)
- Puerto Rico (native)
- Suriname (native)
- Trinidad-Tobago (native)
- Venezuela (native)
- Windward Is. (native)
Additional Images
Fruit
Taken Jun 7, 2013 by Nelson Zamora Villalobos (cc-by-nc)
Taken May 4, 2010 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – R. Aguilar (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – R. Aguilar (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – R. Aguilar (cc-by-nc-sa)
Leaf
Taken Jun 13, 2015 by Nelson Zamora Villalobos (cc-by-nc)
Taken Jun 13, 2015 by Nelson Zamora Villalobos (cc-by-nc)
Taken Jun 7, 2013 by Nelson Zamora Villalobos (cc-by-nc)
Taken Apr 17, 2022 by Madroñero Andrés (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – R. Aguilar (cc-by-nc-sa)
Other
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – R. Aguilar (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – R. Aguilar (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – R. Aguilar (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – R. Aguilar (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken May 4, 2010 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-sa)
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2889900)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:194192-2)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Phoradendron piperoides (Kunth) Trel.)
Specifications
Growth habit>: Subshrub, Shrub