Viscum albumL. subsp. album European mistletoe

Viscum albumL. subsp. album - European mistletoe

Scientific Description:

Stems branched, to 80 cm. Leaves 2.5–7(–8) cm, obovate-oblong, obtuse, 3–5 nerved. Flowers sessile in 3–5-flowered fascicles. Perianth 4-merous; male tepals 4–5 mm, ovate, acute; female tepals 0.5–0.75 mm, triangular, acute. Fruit c. 1 cm, white or yellow, globose or pyriform.

 

subsp. album

Seeds usually triangular; fruit usually globose; leaves less than 4 x as long as broad.

 

Flowering time: March−June.

Habitat: On various trees, 300–2000 m.

 

Reference:

Miller AG (1982). Viscum album L., In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 7: 547.

 

Public Description:

Viscum album subsp. album, commonly known as “European mistletoe”, “common mistletoe” or “mistletoe”, is native to Europe and western and southern Asia. It is a small semi-woody shrub that grows up to 80 cm in length, living semi-parasitically on woody shrubs and trees. The greenish-yellow-colored flowers are not obvious. It has berry-like fruit in mostly white and yellowish-colored filled with a viscid substance. Mistletoe species are poisonous and when consumed the fruit causes a weak pulse and acute gastrointestinal problems including stomach pain and diarrhea. Although there is some laboratory and animal testing that the mistletoe extract can kill some cancer cells, there is little evidence that cancer is beneficial to humans.

 

References:

Anonymous (2017). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viscum_album, Accessed date: 15.01.2018.

Kandemir A (2012). Viscum L., In: Güner, A., Aslan, S., Ekim, T., Vural, M. & Babaç, M.T. (eds.), Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi (Damarlı Bitkiler). Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi ve Flora Araştırmaları Derneği Yayını. İstanbul, pp. 840–841.