Box Mistletoe
Structure
Ellura
Box Mistletoe
Flower & Leaf
 
                      
Box Mistletoe (Amyema miquelii)Class: Plants (Plantae) - Land Plants (Charophyta) - Land Plants (Equisetopsida)
Order: Sandalwoods (Santalales)
Family: Mistletoe (Loranthaceae)     iNaturalist Observation
Species: Box Mistletoe (Amyema miquelii)
This Photo:     Bud Cluster
Other name: Stalked Mistletoe

Thank you Asimakis Patitsas for confirming the id of this species for us

EXTRA - Photo Specific Information:
Notice here the bud on the right is splitting into the petals of the flower.
General Species Information:
Found on Ellura (in the Murray Mallee, SA), the Adelaide Hills and elsewhere
Many people believe mistletoe to be a pest. However, in the wild they are as much a part of the natural order as any other species. Similarly they don't kill trees in the wild. If on the other hand, there aren't enough host trees, due to man's clearing, there can be situations where trees are targeted by birds and so die.
Is this the fault of the mistletoe? We think not. If you are concerned about this, the solution is simple; plant more trees, don't kill the mistletoe.

Copyright © 2013-2024 Brett & Marie Smith. All Rights Reserved. Photographed 22-Apr-2013
This species is classed as LC (Least Concern) in the Murray Mallee, SA, by DENR (Regional Species Status Assessments, July 2010)