Phoradendron leucarpum

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Distribution Map: Based on vouchered plant specimens only. View county names by placing the mouse cursor over a particular county.

Family:SANTALACEAE
Species:Phoradendron leucarpum (Raf.) Reveal & M.C. Johnst.
Common Name:American Mistletoe; Christmas Mistletoe; Oak Mistletoe
Habitat:Parasitic on several species of hardwoods.
Associated Ecological Communities:**
Growth Habit:Shrub
Duration:Perennial
Category:Vascular
USDA Symbol:PHLE14
Plant Notes:American Mistletoe is a native evergreen parasitic sub-shrub in the Sandal-Wood family (Santalaceae). It occurs throughout Alabama. American Mistletoe is parasitic on a range of hardwood tree species, but is most common on various members of the Red Oak group, maples, and members of the pear and plum genera. American Mistletoe is a sub-shrub with a ball-like growth form. It grows attached to the branches of the host, often very high in the tree. American Mistletoe has thick, green, brittle stem segments with simple or stellate (star shaped) hairs. The stems become glabrous with age. The leaves are thick, opposite, evergreen, and yellowish green in color. They are petiolate, ovate to spathulate in outline, with entire margins. The leaves are pubescent with simple or stellate hairs. American Mistletoe is a hemi-parasite. It lacks roots and depends on its host for water and nutrients. It does have chlorophyll and can carry out its own photosynthesis. American Mistletoe produces inconspicuous yellow flowers that are followed by bright white berries. There seed are surrounded by a sticky fluid. This fluid dries like Super Glue!! Birds consume the fruit and either rub the seed off their bills on a branch or the seed and sticky fluid pass through the bird’s digestive tract and are deposited in the droppings. The glue dries and holds the seed in place on the host until it can germinate and establish a connection through the bark. All parts of the plant are considered poisonous to humans and pets and should not be consumed. American Mistletoe resembles European Mistletoe (Viscum album L.) and has taken on the cultural significance of that species, especially at Christmas time. European Mistletoe is prominent in Druid and Nordic mythology. In one version of Norse mythology Balder (son of Frigga, the goddess of love) was slain by an arrow made of European Mistletoe. When Balder came back to life, his mother blessed Mistletoe and gave a kiss to anyone passing beneath.-A.Diamond
Taxonomic Notes:**
Status:Native
References:**
Specimen: View specimen details in the Alabama Herbarium Consortium Specimen Database

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

FamilySANTALACEAE - Sandal-Wood family
Genus Phoradendron
Species Phoradendron leucarpum (Raf.) Reveal & M.C. Johnst. - American Mistletoe; Christmas Mistletoe; Oak Mistletoe

Citation

Citation Phoradendron leucarpum (Rafinesque) Reveal & M.C. Johnston, Taxon 38(1): 107. 1989.
Basionym: Viscum leucarpum Raf. 1817.
Type: USA: SOUTH CAROLINA: Without data, Walter s.n. (lectotype: BM). Lectotypified by J.L. Reveal & M. C. Johnston, Taxon 38: 107. 1989.

** Not applicable or data not available.

Synonyms

SynonymFull CitationBasionymType
Phoradendron eatonii Phoradendron eatonii Trelease, in Small, Shrubs Florida 121, 133. 1913. FLORIDA: Lee Co.: Deep ("Delp") Lake, 1905, Eaton 1310 (holotype: MO; isotype: NY).
Phoradendron flavescens var. glabriusculum Phoradendron flavescens (Pursh) Nuttall, var. glabriusculum Engelmann, Boston J. Nat. Hist. 6: 212. 1850.  
Phoradendron flavescens var. macrotomum Phoradendron flavescens (Pursh) Nuttall, var. macrotomum (Trelease) Fosberg, Lloydia 4: 279. 1941.Phoradendron macrotomum Trelease 1913. 
Phoradendron flavescens var. orbiculatum Phoradendron flavescens (Pursh) Nuttall, var. orbiculatum (Engelmann) Engelmann, Boston J. Nat. Hist. 6: 212. 1850.Phoradendron orbiculatum Engelmann 1849. 
Phoradendron macrotomum Phoradendron macrotomum Trelease, in Small, Shrubs Florida 121, 133. 1913. FLORIDA: Duval Co.: Jacksonville, 1894, Curtiss 4569 (holotype: MO; isotype: F, GH, K, NY, US).
Phoradendron orbiculatum Phoradendron orbiculatum Engelmann, Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts, ser. 2. 4: 59. 1849. ARKANSAS: Pulaski Co.: Little Rock, 1837, Engelmann 707 (holotype: MO).
Phoradendron serotinum var. macrotomum Phoradendron serotinum (Rafinesque) M. C. Johnston, var. macrotomum (Trelease) M. C. Johnston, Southw. Naturalist 2: 47. 1957.Phoradendron mocrotomum Trelease 1913. 
Phoradendron flavescens    
Phoradendron serotinum Phoradendron serotinum (Rafinesque) M. C. Johnston, Southw. Naturalist 2: 45. 1957.Viscum serotinum Rafinesque 1820. 
Viscum leucarpum Viscum leucarpum Rafinesque, Fl. Ludov. 79. 1817. SOUTH CAROLINA: Without data, Walter s.n. (lectotype: BM). Lecto- typified by Reveal & M. C. Johnston, Taxon 38: 107. 1989.
Viscum oblongifolium Viscum oblongifolium Rafinesque, New Fl. 3: 23. 1838 ("1836"). FLORIDA
Viscum ochroleucum Viscum ochroleucum Rafinesque, New Fl. 3: 23. 1838 ("1836"). "From New Jersey to Florida"
Viscum rugosum Viscum rugosum Rafinesque, New Fl. 3: 24. 1838 ("1836").  
Viscum serotinum Viscum serotinum Rafinesque, Ann. Gen. Sci. Phys. 5: 348. 1820. ARKANSAS: Without locality, s.d., Rafinesque s.n. (lectotype: G). Lectotypified by Trelease, Monogr. Phoradendron (?). 1916; Wiens, Brittonia 16: 35. 1964.

Specimens and Distribution

This species has been reported in the following counties by the herbaria listed. An overview of the individual specimens are provided in the table that follows. Click on the accession number to view details; click on column headers to sort; choose a county or herbaria to filter the specimen data.

Counties included on distribution map: Autauga, Baldwin, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Butler, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Choctaw, Clay, Cleburne, Coffee, Colbert, Conecuh, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Cullman, Dale, Dallas, DeKalb, Elmore, Escambia, Etowah, Geneva, Hale, Houston, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lee, Limestone, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Marion, Marshall, Mobile, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Pickens, Pike, Randolph, Russell, Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega, Tuscaloosa

Counties represented by specimen data listed below:

Herbaria represented by specimen data listed below: ALNHS, AUA, JSU, SAMF, TROY, UNA, USAM, UWAL, UWFP

Range of years during which specimens were collected: 1949 - 1988

Barcode / Accession No.
County
Coll. Date
Collector &
Collection No.
Herbarium &
Herbarium Name Used
Image
TROY000045658 Autauga 03 Nov 2016 Parker, Matthew R.
254		 TROY
Phoradendron leucarpum (Rafineque) Reveal and Johnston
UWAL0046826 Autauga 03 Nov 2016 Parker, Matthew R.
254		 UWAL
Phoradendron leucarpum (Rafineque) Reveal and Johnston
UWAL0036907 Autauga 23 Feb 2017 England, J. Kevin
7128		 UWAL
Phoradendron leucarpum (Rafinesque) Reveal & M.C. Johnston ssp. leucarpum
UNA00073928 Autauga 23 Feb 2017 England, J. Kevin
7128		 UNA
Phoradendron leucarpum (Raf.) Reveal & M.C. Johnston subsp. leucarpum
UWAL0043468 Baldwin 10 Nov 2000 Larsen, Harry S.
610		 UWAL
Phoradendron leucarpum (Raf.) Reveal & M. C. Johnst
AUA_ACC_72572 Baldwin 21 Feb 2008 BARGER, T.WAYNE
PERD-52		 AUA
PHORADENDRON LEUCARPUM (RAF.) REVEAL & M. C. JOHNSTON
AUA_ACC_36230 Barbour 28 Nov 1972 ALLEN, J.D.
185		 AUA
PHORADENDRON LEUCARPUM (RAF.) REVEAL & M. C. JOHNSTON
UWAL0047958 Barbour 06 Mar 2020 England, J. Kevin
10706		 UWAL
Phoradendron leucarpum (Rafinesque) Reveal & M.C. Johnston ssp. leucarpum
JSU138080 Bibb 25 Sep 1982 Whetstone, R. David
12588		 JSU
Phoradendron leucarpum (Rafinesque) Reveal & Johnston
UNA00064858 Blount 24 Jan 1998 Keener, Brian R.
509		 UNA
Phoradendron leucarpum (Raf.) Reveal & M.C. Johnston
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