Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants - Online edition

Amyema friesiana (K.Schum.) Danser


Mistletoe
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Flowers. © CSIRO
© CSIRO
Family

Danser, B.H. (1929) Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg 10: 295.

Stem

Aerial stem-parasitic shrub. Epicortical runners present.

Leaves

Leaf blades rather thick and brittle, cracking along a straight line when bent back on themselves. Leaf blades about 8.5-16 x 4-10 cm, petioles about. 1-2.5 cm long. Venation variable, often with 5-9 veins radiating from the base.

Flowers

Flowers borne in triads, each flower sessile. Triads in 5-8-rayed umbels. Rays of umbels about 5-10 mm long. Primary peduncle about 18-30 mm long, sometimes enlarged at the apex. Calyx about 0.7-1 mm long, without lobes. Corolla about 28-35 mm long, clothed in short ferruginous hairs. Anthers about 2.5-3 mm long. Ovary about 2.5 mm long, clothed in short ferruginous hairs. Style about 30 mm long, stigma small, globular.

Fruit

Fruits about 10 mm long with calyx remnants persist at the apex. Radicle equipped with long finger-like processes which form part of the haustorium.

Seedlings

Features not available.

Distribution and Ecology

Occurs in CYP. Known on from a few collections in the Lockerbie and Claudie River areas. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 100 m. Parasitic on rain forest and monsoon forest trees and other mistletoes. Also found much more frequently in New Guinea.

Synonyms
Loranthus friesianus K. Schum., Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Sudsee Nachtr. : 258(1905), Type: New Guinea, Stephansort, 22 Dec. 1898, Nyman 41; Iso: WRSL.
RFK Code
6007
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