Spermatophyta: Dicotyledonae: Archichlamydeae: Santalales

Loranthaceae - Showy mistletoe family

Polhill, R.M. & Wiens, D. (1998) Mistletoes of Africa Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Polhill, R.M. & Wiens, D. (2006) Loranthaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(3)

Description of the family

Shrubs, hemiparasitic on the branches of woody dicotyledons, attached by woody haustoria, with or without surface runners producing secondary haustoria. Stems brittle, not articulated. Stipules 0. Leaves alternate or opposite, rarely whorled, simple. Flowers bisexual, 4-5-merous, borne singly or in racemes, umbels or heads. Calyx fused, often a low rim. Corolla usually large and colourful, often red and yellow. Petals free or united into a tube. Ovary inferior. Fruit a 1-seeded berry.

Worldwide: 68 genera and 900 species in tropical and temperate areas.

Caprivi: 4 genera and 5 taxa.

Tapinanthus oleifolius

Links to genera:     View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this family

GenusContent
Agelanthus Tiegh.Description
Erianthemum Tiegh.Description
Plicosepalus Tiegh.Description
Tapinanthus (Blume) Rchb.Description, Image

Other sources of information about Loranthaceae:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Loranthaceae
Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Loranthaceae
Flora of Malawi: Loranthaceae
Flora of Mozambique: Loranthaceae
Flora of Zambia: Loranthaceae
Flora of Zimbabwe: Loranthaceae

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Loranthaceae
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Loranthaceae
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Loranthaceae
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Loranthaceae
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Loranthaceae
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Loranthaceae
JSTOR Plant Science: Loranthaceae
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Loranthaceae
Wikipedia: Loranthaceae
Plants of the World Online: Loranthaceae
Tropicos: Loranthaceae



Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2014-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Caprivi: Family page: Loranthaceae.
https://www.capriviflora.com/speciesdata/family.php?family_id=125, retrieved 28 March 2024

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