Viscum 201 
VISCACEAE 
A family of 7 genera and c. 400 species; most in the tropics. In Australia 3 genera and 14 species 
with only Viscum recorded in the NT. The Viscaceae are commonly known as Mistletoes. [Barlow, 
1984b] 
VISCUM L. 
Slender, pendulous, glabrous epiphytic hemiparasitic shrubs on branches of woody plants or other parasites. 
Leaves opposite, entire, exstipulate, or reduced to small scales and apparently absent. Inflorescence a sessile 
or pedunculate cyme of (1)3(5) small flowers subtended by a boat-shaped pair of bracts. Plants monoecious 
(outside Australia dioecious). Tepals 2-4, triangular. Male flower: stamens opposite tepals, anther sessile on 
each tepal. Female flower: ovary inferior, without differentiated locules or ovules. Fruit berry-like with a 
single seed, globular or ellipsoidal; stigma present as a very small nipple at apex. 
A genus of c. 100 species from Madagascar, Africa to Europe, Asia and Malesia. The usual hosts are 
dicotyledonous trees, in particular for the NT, Eucalyptus and Melaleuca. However, the NT species also 
parasitise other mistletoes and Exocarpos. Four species in Australia with 2 recorded for the NT. Only 1 
species is known for the DR but both NT species are included here. 
1. Veaves reduced 'to:smallscalestimvnentttirnicttiniiiie iii iiitint V. articulatum 
1. Leaves oblanceolate to narrowly obovate, 26-45 mm ION oo... cece eeseeeteeeeseeeeeteeeeeeeeee V. whitei 
V. articulatum Burman f. 
Internodes compressed-quadrangular. Leaves re- 
duced to an inconspicuous limb subtending inflores- 
cences. Inflorescence of several sessile axillary flow- 
ers; first flower usually female and solitary; male 
flowers usually in a pair below the female, subse- 
quent flowers mostly female. Male flowers pyrami- 
dal, c. | mm long. Female flowers broadly cylindri- 
cal; tepals c. 0.5 mm long; ovary c. 0.5 mm long. 
Fruit + translucent, white, pale yellow or pink, globu- 
lar, 4-6 mm diam. Flowering and fruiting: all year. 
Fig. 67 
Common in northern Australia and extending 
southwards to the central coast of NSW. Also from 
New Guinea through to India and southern China. 
Widespread in the DR, where recorded as parasitic 
on Exocarpos latifolius and Decaisnina. 
V. whitei Blakely subsp. flexicaule (Barlow)Barlow 
Internodes terete or + compressed-angular. Leaves 
oblanceolate or narrowly obovate, 26-45 mm long, 
5-10 mm wide, attenuate into an obscure petiole. 
Inflorescence a pedunculate axillary cyme of 3-5 
flowers, the central flower male or all flowers female; 
peduncle 3-10 mm long; bracts c. 1.5 mm long. Male 
flowers orbicular, c. 1.8 mm diam., 2-merous, on stipe 
c. 1 mm long. Female flowers cylindrical; tepals 2- 
3, c. 1 mm long. Fruit + translucent, ovoid, c. 5 mm 
long. Flowering and fruiting: Apr - Aug. Fig. 67 
This subspecies occurs in Eucalypt savanna 
from the Kimberley to western Arnhem Land but 
is not recorded from the DR. Recorded host plants 
are Melaleuca, Eucalyptus and Dendrophthoe. 
Viscum 
V. articulatum 
V. whitei subsp. flexicaule 
Fig. 67 
