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pineland dwarf mistletoe

Scientific Name: Arceuthobium vaginatum

Family: Viscaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth: Subshrub, Shrub

Duration: Perennial

Other Names:

       

Pineland Dwarf Mistletoe (Arceuthobium vaginatum)

Considerations for Pets

  • This plant is a shrub that grows dense clusters of orange-yellow twigs.
  • It is a parasitic plant that grows on the twigs and branches of pine trees.

Scientific Classification

  • Scientific Name: Arceuthobium vaginatum (Willd.) J. Presl
  • Family: Santalaceae (formerly Viscaceae)
  • Kingdom: (Implied: Plantae, based on the reference to Plantilla:Plantae Mundi)
  • Taxonomic Rank: Species, subspecies (Arceuthobium vaginatum subsp. cryptopodum)
  • Synonyms/Alternative Names:
    • Arceuthobium vaginatum var. cryptopodum (Engelm.) Cronquist
    • Razoumofskya (in relation to Apache dwarf-mistletoe, but implies a possible historical classification)

Common Names

  • Pineland Dwarf Mistletoe
  • Pine Dwarf Mistletoe
  • Southwestern Dwarf-Mistletoe
  • Ponderosa Pine Dwarf Mistletoe

Distribution and Habitat

  • Found in the Southwestern United States.
  • Specifically mentioned locations include:
    • Brinkley Spring, Mount Lemmon, Santa Catalina Mountains, Pima Co., Arizona
    • New Mexico
    • Grand Canyon, Arizona
    • Southwestern States

Ecological Role

  • Parasitic shrub that grows on twigs and branches of Ponderosa Pine and other pine species.
  • Mentioned as causing infestations on Ponderosa Pine.
  • Can be a severe pest in coniferous forests, particularly lodgepole pine dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium americanum).

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

  • Subshrub or Shrub.
  • Perennial.
  • Grows in dense clusters of orange-yellow twigs.

Interactions with Other Organisms

  • Parasitic on Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa) and other pine species.
  • The western tanager's abundance was analyzed in relation to pineland dwarf mistletoe, though no significant relationship was found in the study referenced.
  • Can induce "witches' brooms" in Douglas-Fir, which red squirrels may use.

Further Information

  • Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS)
  • uBio
  • Encyclopedia of Life
  • USDA (United States Department of Agriculture)
  • Rocky Mountain Research Station/Forest Pathology