Epiphytic semi-parasites on stems and branches of hosts, glabrous, monoecious or
dioecious, herbs or shrubs, spreading along branches, di- or trichotomously branched, sometimes
pendulous; nodes swollen; internodes terete or compressed or flattened decussately, often
longitudinally ridged or striate. Leaves opposite, present and normally developed or rudimentary,
entire, unifacial, coriaceous, curvinerved, usually with 3 or 5 visible veins; rudimentary leaves
bract-like, up to 1 mm long. Flowers unisexual, usually 4-merous, small, arranged in terminal or
axillary and sometimes solitary or fascicled inflorescences, usually in triads, middle flowers of
the triad being female, the lateral ones male or vice versa, sometimes all female or all male; bracts
small, triangular, in pairs forming boat-shaped cupule subtending each cymule. Male flowers:
flattened, 0.5 - 1.5 mm long, 4-merous; perianth shortly tubular at base, lobes triangular, valvate;
stamens sessile, epiphyllous; anthers disc-shaped, multi-loculate, opening by pores, sessile
and fused to the perianth lobes, pistillode absent. Female flowers: cylindrical, oblong, up to 3 mm long, 4-merous; perianth lobes triangular, sometimes persistent; ovary inferior, adnate to
the perianth; ovules not distinct; style short; stigma small, sessile, nipple-shaped, round, flat or
capitate. Fruit a berry, narrowly ellipsoid, transparent; perianth lobes rarely persistent as a
crown on the fruit.
Europe, throughout Africa, and eastwards to Asia and Australia, about 67 species, 15
species in India of which 4 are endemic.
Literature.
DANSER, B. H. (1941). The British-Indian species of Viscum revised and
compared with those of South-eastern Asia, Malaysia and Australia. Blumea 4: 260 – 321. RAO,
R. S. (1957). A revision of the Indo-Malayan species of Viscum Linn. J. Indian Bot. Soc. 36: 113
- 168.
KEY TO THE SPECIES
1a. Plants dioecious, leafy, leaves lanceolate, to elliptic-lanceolate or obovate-lanceolate; the central
flower subtended by a cupule
b. Internodes terete, angular or flattened; leaves few or many, shape varies; inflorescence cymose
or subracemose with the central flower either male or female
3
3a. All leafless (rarely leafy in V. ramosissimum); internodes flat, angular or terete; inflorescence
sessile
4
b. All leafy; internodes terete; inflorescence sessile or pedunculate
b. Leaves variously shaped; young fruits smooth or warty, globose or oblong; inflorescence sessile
or pedunculate; internodes terete or slightly angular
11
10a. Inflorescence sessile; fruits warty, leaves larger, ca 5 x 2 - 3.5 cm
b. Young fruits smooth; internodes not grooved; leaves lanceolate, cuneate or subtruncate
12
12a. Inflorescence distinctly pedunculate, at times subracemose; internodes terete throughout; leaves
lanceolate, thick; perianth lobes (rarely 3) 2 in male and 3 in female
b. Inflorescence sessile, always cymose; upper internodes slightly angled; leaves cuneate, or
subtruncate or suborbicular; perianth lobes 3 in both male and female
13a. Inflorescences subracemose, sometimes with female flowers only; leaves lanceolate to ovate
lanceolate; fruit globose; internodes longitudinally grooved
