Chapter 3. Phoradendron in Mexico and the United States

Abstract

The generally familiar mistletoes are the leafy Phoradendron that typically infest hardwood trees and are placed at doorways for winter celebrations. Several of these mistletoes, however, more resemble the dwarf mistletoes by their apparently leafless stems and presence on conifers; but their large, fleshy berries that are attractive to birds clearly identify them as Phoradendron, “the tree thief.” For several reasons, the conifer-infecting Phoradendron (the group reviewed here) have not gotten the level of attention from forest managers that the Arceuthobium have. Phoradendron most typically cause slight damage to junipers in Southwestern woodlands. But these mistletoes include a number of different species, range from Oregon to Mexico, infect a variety of hosts, and provide an interesting model of host–parasite interactions.

Parent Publication

• Mistletoes of North American conifers

Citation

Geils, B. W.; Wiens, D.; Hawksworth, F. G. 2002. Chapter 3. Phoradendron in Mexico and the United States. In: Geils, Brian W.; Cibrián Tovar, Jose; Moody, Benjamin, tech. coords. Mistletoes of North American Conifers. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-98. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. p. 19-28