Arceuthobium campylopodum subsp. littorum
Phytoneuron 2012-51: 10. 2012.
Common names: Coastal dwarf mistletoe
Endemic
Basionym: Arceuthobium littorum Hawksworth, Wiens & Nickrent, Novon 2: 206. 1992
Plants usually forming witches' brooms. Stems olive green, or brown, 8–12(–20) cm; third internode 10–15(–20) × 2–3.5(–5) mm, dominant shoot 2–5 mm diam. at base. Staminate flowers 3 mm diam.; petals 4. Fruits 4–5 × 3 mm.
Phenology: Flowering Aug–Sep; fruiting Sep–Oct.
Habitat: Closed-cone pine forests.
Elevation: 0–300 m.
Discussion
Meiosis occurs in July, with fruits maturing 14 months after pollination.
Subspecies littorum parasitizes Pinus muricata and P. radiata, and occasionally P. contorta in Alameda, Mendocino, and Monterey counties. It has the largest shoots among the 13 subspecies of A. campylopdum.
Selected References
None.
Lower Taxa
None.