Mistletoes ( LORANTHACEAE) in Australia

Flower Families

Don Herbison-Evans, (donherbisonevans@outlook.com) & Christine Ashe

Plant Classes

Australia is blessed with many species of Mistletoe.
They are parasitic on other plants, and many Mistletoes have very specific preferred hosts:

• Amyema bifurcata ( Gum Mistletoe ) on Gum Trees ( Eucalyptus, MYRTACEAE ),
• Amyema biniflora ( Gum-leaf Mistletoe ) on Gum Trees ( Eucalyptus, MYRTACEAE ),
• Amyema cambagei ( Sheoak Mistletoe ), on River Sheoak ( Casuarina cunninghamiana ),
  Belah ( Casuarina cristata ), and
  Swamp Sheoak ( Casuarina glauca ), all in CASUARINACAE,
• Amyema congener ( Erect Mistletoe ) on Sheoak Mistletoe ( Amyema cambagei, LORANTHACEAE ),
  Bottlebrush ( Callistemon, MYRTACEAE ), and
  Australian Willow ( Geijera parviflora, RUTACEAE ),
• Amyema conspicua on Red Ash ( Alphitonia excelsa, RHAMNACEAE ),
• Amyema fitzgeraldii ( Pincushion Mistletoe ) on Raspberry Jam Wattle ( Acacia acuminata, MIMOSACEAE ),
• Amyema gaudichaudii ( Paper Bark Mistletoe ) on Paperbarks (Melalauca, MYRTACEAE ),
• Amyema gibberula ( Hakea Mistletoe ) on Hakea (Hakea, PROTEACEAE ),
• Amyema linophylla ( Buloke Mistletoe ) on Bulloak ( Allocasuarina luehmannii ),
  Belah ( Casuarina cristata ), and
  Swamp Sheoak ( Casuarina obesa ), all in CASUARINACAE,
• Amyema lucasii on Leopardwood ( Flindersia maculosa, RUTACEAE ),
• Amyema mackayensis ( Mackay Mistletoe ) on Grey Mangrove ( Avicennia marina, ACANTHACEAE ),
• Amyema maidenii ( Pale Leaved Mistletoe ) on Mulga ( Acacia aneura ),
  Brigalow ( Acacia harpophylla ), and
  Wichetty Bush ( Acacia kempeana ), all of MIMOSACEAE,
• Amyema melaleucae ( Melaleuca Mistletoe ) on Moonah ( Melaleuca lanceolata, MYRTACEAE ),
• Amyema miquelii ( Box Mistletoe ) on Gum Trees ( Eucalyptus, MYRTACEAE ), and
  Wattles ( Acacia, MIMOSACEAE ),
• Amyema miraculosa ( Fleshy Mistletoe ) on other Mistletoes ( LORANTHACEAE ),
  Northern Sandalwood ( Santalum lanceolatum, SANTALACEAE ),
  Australian Willow ( Geijera parviflora, RUTACEAE ),
  Boobialla ( Myoporum, MYOPORACEAE ), and
  Sheoaks ( Casuarinas, CASUARINACAE ).
  
• Amyema pendula ( Drooping Mistletoe ) on Gum Trees ( Eucalyptus, MYRTACEAE ), and
  Wattles ( Acacia, MIMOSACEAE ),
• Amyema preissii ( Wire-leaved Mistletoe ) on Wattles ( Acacia, MIMOSACEAE ),
• Amyema quandang ( Grey Mistletoe ) on Wattles ( Acacia, MIMOSACEAE ),
• Amyema queenslandica ( Queensland Mistletoe ) on Canarium ( BURSERACEAE ),
  Cryptocarya ( LAURACEAE ),
  Dysoxylum ( MELIACEAE ), and
  Ficus ( MORACEAE ),
• Amyema sanguinea ( Christmas Mistletoe ) on Gum Trees ( Eucalyptus, MYRTACEAE ), and
  Wattles ( Acacia, MIMOSACEAE ),
• Amyema seemeniana (Seeman's Mistletoe ) on Figs ( Ficus, MORACEAE ),
  and plants from many other families,
• Amyema thalassia ( Mangrove Mistletoe ) on Stilted Mangrove ( Rhizophora stylosa, RHIZOPHORACEAE ),

• Amylotheca dictyophleba on many plants too numerous to mention
• Amylotheca subumbellata on Rhodamnia trineura ( MYRTACEAE ),

• Atkinsonia ligustrina ( Privet-like Mistletoe ), on roots of adjacent plants

• Benthamina alyxifolia ( Shielded Mistletoe ) on Gum Trees ( Eucalyptus, MYRTACEAE ),

• Decaisnina congesta ( Compact Mistletoe ) on Alstonia ( APOCYNACEAE ),
  Engelhardtia ( JUGLANDACEAE ), and
  Morus ( MORACEAE ),
• Decaisnina signata ( Signal Mistletoe ) on Swamp Banksia ( Banksia dentata, PROTEACEAE ), and
  Green Plum ( Buchanania obovata, ANARCARDIACEAE ).
• Decaisnina triflora ( Three-flowerd Misteltoe ) on Wattles ( Acacia, MIMOSACEAE ),
  and plants from many other families,

• Dendrophthoe curvata ( Bent Mistletoe ) on Pomegranate ( Punica granatum, PUNICACEAE ),
  Curtain Fig ( Ficus virens, MORACEAE ),
• Dendrophthoe glabrescens ( Bald Mistletoe ) on Gum Trees ( Eucalyptus, MYRTACEAE ),
  and many other trees in about 20 genera,
• Dendrophthoe homoplastica (Copycat Mistletoe ) on Silver Wattle ( Acacia holosericea, MIMOSACEAE ),
  Bottlebrush ( Callistemon, MYRTACEAE ),
• Dendrophthoe vitellina ( Long Flowered Mistletoe ) on Gum Trees ( Eucalyptus, MYRTACEAE ),
  and many other trees in about 20 genera,

• Diplatia furcata ( Forked Mistletoe ) on Woodland Paperbark ( Melaleuca nervosa, MYRTACEAE ),
• Diplatia grandibractea (Bracted Mistletoe ) on Red River Gum ( Eucalyptus camaldulensis, MYRTACEAE ),
• Diplatia tomentosa (Woolly Mistletoe ) on Coolibah ( Eucalyptus microtheca, MYRTACEAE ),
  Broad-leaved Paperbark ( Melaleuca viridiflora, MYRTACEAE ),

• Lysiana exocarpi ( Harlequin Mistletoe ) on other Mistletoes ( LORANTHACEAE ), and
  Sheoaks ( CASUARINACEAE ),
• Lysiana linearifolia ( Straight-leaved Mistletoe ) on Wattles ( Acacia, MIMOSACEAE ),
  Flindersia maculosa ( RUTACEAE ), and
  Eremophila ( SCROPHULARIACEAE ),
• Lysiana maritima ( Beach Mistletoe ) on Sheoaks ( CASUARINACAE ),
• Lysiana murrayi ( Murray Mistletoe ) on Wattles ( Acacia, MIMOSACEAE ),
• Lysiana subfalcata ( Sickle-leaved Mistletoe ) on Sheoaks ( CASUARINACEAE ),
  Wattles ( Acacia, MIMOSACEAE ),
  Lysiphyllum, Atalaya, Alectryon, Santalum,

• Muellerina bidwillii ( Bidwill's Mistletoe ) on Callitris ( CUPRESSACEAE ),
  
• Muellerina celastroides ( Coast Mistletoe ) on Pear Tree ( Pyrus malus, ROSACEAE ),
• Muellerina eucalyptoides ( Creeping Mistletoe ) on Gum Trees ( Eucalyptus, MYRTACEAE ), and
  Wattles ( Acacia, MIMOSACEAE ),
• Muellerina myrtifolia ( Gum-leaved Mistletoe ) on Pandorea jasminoides ( BIGNONIACEAE ),
  Parsonsia ( APOCYNACEAE ), and
  Croton ( EUPHORBIACEAE ).

Further reading:

John T. Moss & Ross Kendall,
The Mistletoes of Sub-tropical Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria
Butterflies and Other Invertebrates Club, 2016.

David M. Watson,
Mistletoes of Southern Australia,
CSIRO, 2011.