Dendrophthoe glabrescens (Blakely) Barlow

Loranthaceae

Barlow, B.A. (1962) Proc. Linn. Soc. New South Wales 87: 55.

Aerial stem-parasitic shrub. Epicortical runners usually present.

Leaf blades rather brittle, breaking along a straight line went bent back on themselves. Leaf blades about 4.5-16 x 0.5-6 cm, petioles about 0.3-2.5 cm long. Lateral veins forming loops well inside the blade margin.

Flowers borne in racemes of 5-20 flowers, pedicels about 3-5 mm long. Inflorescence axis about 10-30 mm long. Calyx about 1-2 mm long, without lobes but usually split down one side. Corolla tube about 20-30 mm long, inflated to form a ring-like structure at the apex, inner surface often whorled, lobes about 11-14 mm long. Anthers about 4-6 mm long, staminal filaments about 6 mm long. Disk cream, surrounding the base of the style. Ovary about 3-4 mm long. Style about 28-40 mm long. Stigma red, globular, and terminal, sometimes 2-lipped. No locules or ovules visible in the ovary.

Fruits about 13-17 x 7-9 mm, calyx persistent at the apex. Seeds about 9-10 x 4 mm, surrounded by sticky, stringy mucilage. Endosperm white. Embryo green, about 3.5-6 mm long. Cotyledons about 3-4 mm long but fused together. Radicle globular, about 1.5-2.5 mm diam.

Features not available.

Occurs in WA, NT, CYP, NEQ, CEQ and southwards as far as central New South Wales. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 900 m. Also found in Malesia (Lesser Sunda Islands and New Guinea). Usually parasitic on open forest species but also found on some monsoon forest and rain forest species.

Food plant for the larval stage of the Golden Jezabel, Black Jezabel, Scarlet Jezabel, Red-banded Jezabel, Amethyst Jewel, Silky Jewel, Golden Azure, Orange-tipped Azure, Southern Purple Azure and Northern Purple Azure Butterflies. Braby, M. (2000).

Loranthus vitellinus var. glabrescens Blakely, Proc. Linn. Soc. New South Wales 50: 10(1925), Type: Queensland, Rockhampton, Mar. 1909, J.H. Maiden s. n.; Holo: NSW. Dendrophthoe pelargica Barlow, Australian Journal Botany 22: 609(1974), Type: New Guinea, Daru Island, 11 Mar. 1936, Brass 6330; Holo: L. Loranthus longiflorusBenth, Flora Australiensis 3: 390(1867). Loranthus longiflorus var. savannorum Domin, Biblioth. Bot. 89: 52(1921), Type: Queensland, Mt Walker, Hughenden, Feb. 1910, K. Domin.