Psittacanthus

{{short description|Genus of parasitic flowering plants in the family Loranthaceae}}

{{automatic taxobox

|image = Psittacanthus robustus.jpg

|image_caption = Psittacanthus robustus

|taxon = Psittacanthus

|authority = Mart.

|subdivision_ranks = Species

|subdivision = See text

|}}

Psittacanthus, also parrot-flower, is a plant genus in the family Loranthaceae. It is a type of mistletoe native from central Mexico southwards to Central America and parts of South America.Vázquez Collazo, I. & Geils, B.W. 2002. {{cite web|url=http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_gtr098/rmrs_gtr098_009_017.pdf|title=Mistletoes of North American Conifers, Chapter 2: Psittacanthus in Mexico|year=2002|publisher=United States Forest Service|accessdate=November 30, 2014}}

It differs from most other Loranthaceae genera by its large flowers and bulky haustorial connections to its host, and by its large fruits. Its flowers frequently "light up the host tree in brilliant hues of red or red and yellow".

Life cycle

From inoculation of a branch with the seed to production of new seed on the plant requires about five years.

Psittacanthus is dispersed by birds feeding on fruits and defecating on

branches. Once the mistletoe is established, it flowers yearly. A five-year study of

Psittacanthus calyculatus on Pinus gordoniana found that only five months after the sticky seed has inoculated the host tree, are the first true leaves produced.

In the May of the fourth year after infection, the shoots start to produce flower bud full flowering and pollination occurring in November and December. Hummingbirds and passerines are thought to be the pollinators. Fruit maturation takes about a year and occurs from November to February of the fifth year. The long life cycle means that infestations may be relatively easily controlled when trees are to be harvested for forestry.

Accepted species

Source:

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{{ordered list|start=1

|Psittacanthus acinarius (Mart.) Mart.

|Psittacanthus amazonicus (Ule) Kuijt

|Psittacanthus americanus (L.) Mart.

|Psittacanthus angustifolius Kuijt

|Psittacanthus auriculatus (Oliv.) Eichler

|Psittacanthus bicalyculatus (Mart. ex Schult. & Schult.f.) Mart.

|Psittacanthus biternatus (Hoffmanns.) G.Don

|Psittacanthus brachynema Eichler

|Psittacanthus brasiliensis (Desr.) G.Don

|Psittacanthus breedlovei Kuijt

|Psittacanthus calcaratus A.C.Sm.

|Psittacanthus calyculatus (DC.) G.Don

|Psittacanthus cardiphyllus (Willd. ex Schult. & Schult.f.) Eichler

|Psittacanthus chanduyensis Eichler

|Psittacanthus cinctus (Mart.) Mart.

|Psittacanthus circulatus Rizzini

|Psittacanthus clusiifolius Eichler

|Psittacanthus coccineus Pacz.

|Psittacanthus cordatus (Hoffmanns. ex Schult. & Schult.f.) G.Don

|Psittacanthus cordiae K.Krause

|Psittacanthus costanensis Steyerm.

|Psittacanthus crassifolius Mart.

|Psittacanthus cucullaris (Lam.) G.Don

}}

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{{ordered list|start=24

|Psittacanthus dichrous (Mart. ex Schult. & Schult.f.) Mart.

|Psittacanthus dilatatus A.C.Sm.

|Psittacanthus divaricatus (Kunth) G.Don

|Psittacanthus eucalyptifolius (Kunth) G.Don

|

|Psittacanthus gracilipes Rizzini

|Psittacanthus grandifolius Mart.

|Psittacanthus hamulifer Kuijt

|Psittacanthus irwinii Rizzini

|Psittacanthus julianus Rizzini

|Psittacanthus karwinskyanus (Schult. & Schult.f.) Eichler

|Psittacanthus kerberi Engl.

|Psittacanthus krameri Kuijt

|Psittacanthus krausei J.F.Macbr.

|Psittacanthus lasianthus Sandwith

|''Psittacanthus gigas

|Psittacanthus lasserianus Rizzini

|Psittacanthus linearis (Killip) J.F.Macbr.

|Psittacanthus macrantherus Eichler

|Psittacanthus martinicensis (C.Presl) Eichler

|Psittacanthus mayanus Standl. & Steyerm.

|Psittacanthus melinonii (Tiegh.) Engl.

|Psittacanthus mexicanus (C.Presl ex Schult. & Schult.f.) G.Don

|Psittacanthus microphyllus Kuijt

|Psittacanthus mirandensis Rizzini

}}

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{{ordered list|start=47

|Psittacanthus montis-neblinae Rizzini

|Psittacanthus nodosissimus Rizzini

|Psittacanthus nudus (Ant.Molina) Kuijt & Feuer

|Psittacanthus oblongifolius (Rusby) Kuijt

|Psittacanthus palmeri (S.Watson) Barlow & Wiens

|Psittacanthus pangui Kuijt

|Psittacanthus paxianus (Patsch.) Kuijt

|Psittacanthus peculiaris A.C.Sm.

|Psittacanthus peronopetalus Eichler

|Psittacanthus pinicola Kuijt

|Psittacanthus ramiflorus (Moc. & Sessé ex DC.) G.Don

|Psittacanthus rhynchanthus (Benth.) Kuijt

|Psittacanthus robustus (Mart.) Marloth

|Psittacanthus scheryi Woodson

|Psittacanthus schiedeanus (Schltdl. & Cham.) G.Don

|Psittacanthus sonorae (S.Watson) Kuijt

|Psittacanthus subalatus K.Krause

|Psittacanthus truncatus Kuijt

|Psittacanthus tumbecensis (Killip) J.F.Macbr.

|Psittacanthus wiensii Kuijt

|Psittacanthus zonatus (Diels) Kuijt

}}

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Etymology

Psittacanthos comes from the Greek psittakos (parrot), and the Greek anthos (flower), possibly chosen, according to Don, because of the bright colours.

References

{{Reflist|refs=

Don, G. 1834. {{cite book|url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/341991|title=A general history of the dichlamydeous plants :comprising complete descriptions of the different orders...the whole arranged according to the natural system 3: 415.|date=1834 |volume=1834 v.3 }}

Govaerts, R. et.al. 2018. [https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30008657-2 Psittacanthus Plants of the World online], Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 20 June 2018.

Kuijt, J. 2009. "Monograph of Psittacanthus (Loranthaceae)." Systematic Botany Monographs, vol. 86, pp. 1–361. [https://www.jstor.org/stable/25592351 JSTOR] Retrieved 20 June 2018

Vasquez Collazo, I. & Geils, B.W. 2002. Chapter 2 Psittacanthus in Mexico. In 'Mistletoes of North American Conifers.'{{doi|10.2737/RMRS-GTR-98}} [www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_gtr098/rmrs_gtr098_009_017.pdf pdf]{

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