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VISCUM combreticola Engl. [family VISCACEAE]

Date Updated: 19 August 2007

Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of Tropical East Africa, page 1, (1999) Author: R. M. Polhill and D. Wiens
Names
VISCUM combreticola Engl. [family VISCACEAE], in E.J. 40: 542 (1908); Sprague in F.T.A. 6(1): 404 (1911) & in Fl. Cap. 5(2): 130 (1915); Balle in F.C.B. 1: 380 (1948); F.P.N.A. 1: 106 (1948); Wiens & Tölken in F.S.A. 10(1): 45, fig. 16/3 (1979); Polh. & Wiens in U.K.W.F., ed. 2: 158 (1994) & Mistletoes Afr.: 303, photo. 137, fig. 40D (1998). Type: South Africa, Gauteng [Transvaal], Magaliesberg at Buffelspoort, Engler 2840a (B†, holo., K!, iso.) VISCUM dichotomum [family VISCACEAE], [sensu P.O.A. C: 167 (1895); Rendle in J.L.S. 37: 207 (1905), non D. Don] VISCUM ugandense Sprague [family VISCACEAE], in K.B. 1911: 183 (June 1911) & in F.T.A. 6(1): 405 (Oct. 1911). Type: Uganda, Toro, Dawe 473 (K!, holo.)
Information
Leafless dioecious shrubs of relatively large size, with stems up to 1–2 m. long, usually pendulous with age, often yellowish green; internodes of distal branches 20–35 mm. long, 4–6 mm. wide, flattened and strongly ribbed, rounded with age. Bracteal cups and flowers of both sexes sessile. Staminate flowers in triads (occasionally dyads), sessile, solitary in the axils of scale-leaves of younger branches, but often in fascicles of 4–8 on older stems. Pistillate flowers borne singly. Style indistinct at maturity; stigma rounded, emerging directly from the slightly elevated summit of the ovary. Berries sessile, rotund-ellipsoid, 6–7 mm. high, apex truncated, tuberculate when young, but nearly smooth at maturity, orange; tepalar ring-scar not strongly differentiated, 4–5 mm. in diameter. Fig. 5/8.
Range
DISTR. U 2–4; K 3, 4, 6; T 4, 6–8 widespread in eastern and southern Africa, principally in a broad zone following the Rift Valleys, in E. Zaire, then south through Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe to South Africa (Gauteng) and also in Angola
Altitude range
900–2100 m.
Distribution
UGANDA Kigezi District Kambuga, Feb. 1947, Purseglove 2339!;KENYA Kitui District 40 km. E. of Thika, E. end of Ngoliba Estate, 17 Oct. 1988, Wiens, Calvin & Polhill 7021!;TANZANIA Ufipa District Tatanda Mission, 24 Feb. 1994, Bidgood, Mbago & Vollesen 2429!;UGANDA Mbale District Buginyanya, 11 Dec. 1938, A.S. Thomas 2590!;UGANDA Mengo District Mpanga Research Forest, 14 Aug. 1958, Dawkins 892!KENYA Masai District Emali Hill, 8 Mar. 1940, V.G. van Someren 42! & Maparasha Hills, ± 12 km. ESE. of Bissel, 19 Sept. 1981, M.G. Gilbert 6358!TANZANIA Njombe District ± 3 km. W. of Madaba village on Songea–Njombe road at edge of escarpment, 4 Feb. 1986, Congdon in Wiens 6605!;TANZANIA Songea District 10.5 km. W. of Tunduru District boundary, 6 June 1956, Milne-Redhead & Taylor 10636!
Notes
A widespread species exhibiting considerable variation, but no geographically consistent patterns are presently discernible. Vegetatively similar to V. shirense and V. cylindricum, from which it is difficult to distinguish sterile material. The latter species are identifiable by the male inflorescences, which are both single-flowered, as well as the fruits which are smaller and shortly pedicellate in V. shirense and cylindrical in V. cylindricum .

Date Updated: 19 August 2007

Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of Tropical East Africa, page 1, (1999) Author: R. M. Polhill and D. Wiens
Names
VISCUM combreticola Engl. [family VISCACEAE], in E.J. 40: 542 (1908); Sprague in F.T.A. 6(1): 404 (1911) & in Fl. Cap. 5(2): 130 (1915); Balle in F.C.B. 1: 380 (1948); F.P.N.A. 1: 106 (1948); Wiens & Tölken in F.S.A. 10(1): 45, fig. 16/3 (1979); Polh. & Wiens in U.K.W.F., ed. 2: 158 (1994) & Mistletoes Afr.: 303, photo. 137, fig. 40D (1998). Type: South Africa, Gauteng [Transvaal], Magaliesberg at Buffelspoort, Engler 2840a (B†, holo., K!, iso.) VISCUM dichotomum [family VISCACEAE], [sensu P.O.A. C: 167 (1895); Rendle in J.L.S. 37: 207 (1905), non D. Don] VISCUM ugandense Sprague [family VISCACEAE], in K.B. 1911: 183 (June 1911) & in F.T.A. 6(1): 405 (Oct. 1911). Type: Uganda, Toro, Dawe 473 (K!, holo.)
Information
Leafless dioecious shrubs of relatively large size, with stems up to 1–2 m. long, usually pendulous with age, often yellowish green; internodes of distal branches 20–35 mm. long, 4–6 mm. wide, flattened and strongly ribbed, rounded with age. Bracteal cups and flowers of both sexes sessile. Staminate flowers in triads (occasionally dyads), sessile, solitary in the axils of scale-leaves of younger branches, but often in fascicles of 4–8 on older stems. Pistillate flowers borne singly. Style indistinct at maturity; stigma rounded, emerging directly from the slightly elevated summit of the ovary. Berries sessile, rotund-ellipsoid, 6–7 mm. high, apex truncated, tuberculate when young, but nearly smooth at maturity, orange; tepalar ring-scar not strongly differentiated, 4–5 mm. in diameter. Fig. 5/8.
Range
DISTR. U 2–4; K 3, 4, 6; T 4, 6–8 widespread in eastern and southern Africa, principally in a broad zone following the Rift Valleys, in E. Zaire, then south through Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe to South Africa (Gauteng) and also in Angola
Altitude range
900–2100 m.
Distribution
UGANDA Kigezi District Kambuga, Feb. 1947, Purseglove 2339!;KENYA Kitui District 40 km. E. of Thika, E. end of Ngoliba Estate, 17 Oct. 1988, Wiens, Calvin & Polhill 7021!;TANZANIA Ufipa District Tatanda Mission, 24 Feb. 1994, Bidgood, Mbago & Vollesen 2429!;UGANDA Mbale District Buginyanya, 11 Dec. 1938, A.S. Thomas 2590!;UGANDA Mengo District Mpanga Research Forest, 14 Aug. 1958, Dawkins 892!KENYA Masai District Emali Hill, 8 Mar. 1940, V.G. van Someren 42! & Maparasha Hills, ± 12 km. ESE. of Bissel, 19 Sept. 1981, M.G. Gilbert 6358!TANZANIA Njombe District ± 3 km. W. of Madaba village on Songea–Njombe road at edge of escarpment, 4 Feb. 1986, Congdon in Wiens 6605!;TANZANIA Songea District 10.5 km. W. of Tunduru District boundary, 6 June 1956, Milne-Redhead & Taylor 10636!
Notes
A widespread species exhibiting considerable variation, but no geographically consistent patterns are presently discernible. Vegetatively similar to V. shirense and V. cylindricum, from which it is difficult to distinguish sterile material. The latter species are identifiable by the male inflorescences, which are both single-flowered, as well as the fruits which are smaller and shortly pedicellate in V. shirense and cylindrical in V. cylindricum .

Date Updated: 19 August 2007

Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of Tropical East Africa, page 1, (1999) Author: R. M. Polhill and D. Wiens
Names
VISCUM combreticola Engl. [family VISCACEAE], in E.J. 40: 542 (1908); Sprague in F.T.A. 6(1): 404 (1911) & in Fl. Cap. 5(2): 130 (1915); Balle in F.C.B. 1: 380 (1948); F.P.N.A. 1: 106 (1948); Wiens & Tölken in F.S.A. 10(1): 45, fig. 16/3 (1979); Polh. & Wiens in U.K.W.F., ed. 2: 158 (1994) & Mistletoes Afr.: 303, photo. 137, fig. 40D (1998). Type: South Africa, Gauteng [Transvaal], Magaliesberg at Buffelspoort, Engler 2840a (B†, holo., K!, iso.) VISCUM dichotomum [family VISCACEAE], [sensu P.O.A. C: 167 (1895); Rendle in J.L.S. 37: 207 (1905), non D. Don] VISCUM ugandense Sprague [family VISCACEAE], in K.B. 1911: 183 (June 1911) & in F.T.A. 6(1): 405 (Oct. 1911). Type: Uganda, Toro, Dawe 473 (K!, holo.)
Information
Leafless dioecious shrubs of relatively large size, with stems up to 1–2 m. long, usually pendulous with age, often yellowish green; internodes of distal branches 20–35 mm. long, 4–6 mm. wide, flattened and strongly ribbed, rounded with age. Bracteal cups and flowers of both sexes sessile. Staminate flowers in triads (occasionally dyads), sessile, solitary in the axils of scale-leaves of younger branches, but often in fascicles of 4–8 on older stems. Pistillate flowers borne singly. Style indistinct at maturity; stigma rounded, emerging directly from the slightly elevated summit of the ovary. Berries sessile, rotund-ellipsoid, 6–7 mm. high, apex truncated, tuberculate when young, but nearly smooth at maturity, orange; tepalar ring-scar not strongly differentiated, 4–5 mm. in diameter. Fig. 5/8.
Range
DISTR. U 2–4; K 3, 4, 6; T 4, 6–8 widespread in eastern and southern Africa, principally in a broad zone following the Rift Valleys, in E. Zaire, then south through Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe to South Africa (Gauteng) and also in Angola
Altitude range
900–2100 m.
Distribution
UGANDA Kigezi District Kambuga, Feb. 1947, Purseglove 2339!;KENYA Kitui District 40 km. E. of Thika, E. end of Ngoliba Estate, 17 Oct. 1988, Wiens, Calvin & Polhill 7021!;TANZANIA Ufipa District Tatanda Mission, 24 Feb. 1994, Bidgood, Mbago & Vollesen 2429!;UGANDA Mbale District Buginyanya, 11 Dec. 1938, A.S. Thomas 2590!;UGANDA Mengo District Mpanga Research Forest, 14 Aug. 1958, Dawkins 892!KENYA Masai District Emali Hill, 8 Mar. 1940, V.G. van Someren 42! & Maparasha Hills, ± 12 km. ESE. of Bissel, 19 Sept. 1981, M.G. Gilbert 6358!TANZANIA Njombe District ± 3 km. W. of Madaba village on Songea–Njombe road at edge of escarpment, 4 Feb. 1986, Congdon in Wiens 6605!;TANZANIA Songea District 10.5 km. W. of Tunduru District boundary, 6 June 1956, Milne-Redhead & Taylor 10636!
Notes
A widespread species exhibiting considerable variation, but no geographically consistent patterns are presently discernible. Vegetatively similar to V. shirense and V. cylindricum, from which it is difficult to distinguish sterile material. The latter species are identifiable by the male inflorescences, which are both single-flowered, as well as the fruits which are smaller and shortly pedicellate in V. shirense and cylindrical in V. cylindricum .
VISCUM combreticola Engl. [family VISCACEAE]
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