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Natural products are an important source of antioxidant molecules like tannins, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, etc., Helicanthus elastica (Desr.) Danser (Loranthaceae) is one such plant belonging to the category of mistletoe, and grows commonly on the mango trees in India. In the present study, an attempt has been made to assess the antioxidant properties of the plant. Ethanol extract of H. elastica growing on mango tree was studied using different in vitro models. Shade-dried whole plant material was extracted with ethanol by cold percolation. Fifty milligrams of the alcohol extract of H. elastica was weighed and dissolved in 10 ml of methanol. The resultant 5 mg/ml solution was suitably diluted to obtain different concentrations. Total phenol content, reducing power assay, and scavenging of free radicals like nitric oxide, hydroxyl, hydrogen peroxide, and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl were studied by standardized in vitro chemical methods using ascorbic acid as the standard. The total phenol content of the plant was found to be 1.89% w/w. The extract showed good reducing power as well as scavenging of free radicals (nitric oxide, hydroxyl, superoxide anion, and hydrogen peroxide) at concentrations ranging from 5 to 100 μg/ml. The study revealed the antioxidant potential of H. elastica.

Helicanthus elastica (Desr.) Danser (Loranthaceae) is a less-known medicinally important mistletoe species occurring in India. It is used to check abortion, and also in vesical calculi and kidney affections. There are no detailed studies reporting the antimicrobial potential of this plant. Based on the traditional use and the rich phenolic composition of the whole plant, the antimicrobial property of the alcohol extract was analyzed and the results are outlined in the present paper. For the analysis, zone of inhibition, and minimum inhibitory concentration were used, and the total activity was assayed by standard methodologies. The antimicrobial activity was studied against bacteria like Aeromonas hydrophila, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pyogenes, Vibrio fischeri, and a fungus Candida albicans. Of the eight tested bacteria, the alcoholic extract of H. elastica was found to be active against K. pneumoniae, A. hydrophila, E. coli, and V. fischeri at concentration ranging from 250 to 500 μg/ml. C. albicans showed inhibition only at a concentration of 2000 μg/ml.

Safou Parasitism by Tapinanthus on Logbessou's plateau (Douala, Cameroon). In Cameroon, parasitism by Loranthaceae is a limiting factor of the safou tree cultivation as well as the perishable nature of the fruit which reduces the shelf life. Inventories were carried out in the home gardens of Logbessou's plateau in Douala. All the safou trees likely to produce and located within a perimeter of 200 m x 25 m from the center to the periphery of the plateau were observed and characterized by the circumference of the trunk, the number of tufts of Loranthaceae present on the tree and the taxon of the parasite. Safou trees are primarily parasitized by two species of Tapinanthus. Parasitism rate (34%) varied significantly between center and periphery of the plateau. The average number of tufts of Tapinanthus by tree was also significantly different according to the location of the trees and between the two species of Tapinanthus. It is important to investigate the age at which pests significantly affect Safou yields in order to be able to propose adequate control methods when the farmers want to limit the parasitism of this species.

Scurrula notothixoides (Loranthaceae) is a hemiparasitic shrub distributed in forest margins of Southeast Asian countries. Here, we report and characterize the complete plastid genome sequence of S. notothixoides in an effort to provide genomic resources useful for the phylogenetic studies for Santalales. The complete plastome is 123,810 bp in length and contains the typical structure and gene content of angiosperm plastomes, including two inverted repeat (IR) regions of 23,101 bp, a large single copy (LSC) region of 71,448 bp and a small single copy (SSC) region of 6160 bp. The plastome contains 88 genes, consisting of 61 unique protein-coding genes, 23 unique tRNA genes and four unique rRNA genes. The overall A/T content in the plastome of S. notothixoides is 62.7%. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using the entire plastome, including spacers, introns, etc. and we recovered that S. notothixoides and Taxillus sutchuenensis was closely related. The complete plastome sequence of S. notothixoides will provide a useful resource for the phylogenetic studies for Santalales.

The Australian psyllid fauna associated with the Loranthaceae is revised. These include three described species of Acizzia from mistletoes hemiparasitic on Eucalyptus in Australia, namely Acizzia amyemae Taylor 1999, Acizzia loranthacae Taylor 1999, Acizzia pendulae Taylor 1999; and eight new species from mistletoes on various hosts from New Guinea and Australia, namely Acizzia casuarinae sp. nov., Acizzia lanceolatae sp. nov., Acizzia maculata sp. nov., Acizzia miraculosa sp. nov., Acizzia nestor sp. nov., Acizzia novaeguineae sp. nov., Acizzia preissiae sp. nov. and A. quandang sp. nov. This study documents the first records of Acizzia from mistletoes from New Guinea and from mistletoes on non- Eucalyptus hosts, namely Acacia, Casuarina and Myoporum. A key to species of Acizzia from the Loranthaceae mistletoes is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interplay between dispersal and adaptation to local environments ultimately determines the distribution of plant species, but their relative contribution remains little understood. Tropical mistletoes provide the opportunity to dissect these contributions of dispersal and adaptation, because as hemiparasitic plants, they are typically adapted to grow on a handful of species within diverse tropical communities and are non-randomly dispersed by mutualistic frugivorous birds., Here we hypothesized that the primary determinant of the abundance of a tropical mistletoe ( Dendropemon caribaeus, Loranthaceae) in Puerto Rico will be the compatibility between the mistletoe and plant species in a community. Alternatively, the mistletoe's abundance could be primarily shaped by other factors such as the availability of potential host plants, or factors that determine how mistletoe seeds are dispersed by avian frugivores. We conducted surveys and experiments to assess the capacity of this mistletoe to grow on trees available in the local community, and measured the monthly phenology and seed dispersal patterns of the mistletoe and other bird-dispersed plants in the community over a period of 4 years. A path model was used to evaluate how the abundance of the mistletoe was shaped by host abundance, fruiting phenology, bird dispersal and compatibilities with host plants., Our analyses show that the compatibility between mistletoe and host tree species, measured by mistletoe survival and growth rate, was the most important factor for mistletoe abundance. The next most important factor was the phenological characteristics of the hosts; this outcome likely arose because frugivory and seed dispersal services for mistletoes and hosts are performed by the same birds., Synthesis. Mistletoes often parasitize only a subset of the suitable plant species that are available in a given community. Our results indicate that such patterns are not only determined by host quality and abundance but also by the phenological patterns of trees that influence the probabilities of mistletoe seeds being deposited on them by shared avian seed dispersers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The formation of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt ( TMVB) played an important role in driving inter- and intraspecific diversification at high elevations. However, Pleistocene climate changes and ecological factors might also contribute to plant genetic structuring along the volcanic belt. Here, we analysed phylogeographical patterns of the parrot-mistletoe Psittacanthus calyculatus to determine the relative contribution of these different factors. Location Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. Methods Using nuclear and chloroplast DNA sequence data for 370 individuals, we investigate the genetic differentiation of 35 populations across the species range. We conducted phylogenetic, population and spatial genetic analyses of P. calyculatus sequences along with ecological niche modelling and Bayesian inference methods to gain insight into the structuring of genetic variation of these populations. Results Our analyses revealed population structure with three genetic groups corresponding to individuals from Oaxaca and those from the central-eastern and western TMVB regions. A significant genetic signal of demographic expansion, an east-to-west expansion predicted by species distribution modelling, and approximate Bayesian computation analyses strongly supported a scenario of habitat isolation and invasion of TMVB by P. calyculatus during the late-Pleistocene. Main conclusions The genetic differentiation of P. calyculatus may be explained by the combined effects of (1) geographical isolation linked to the effects of the glacial/interglacial cycles and environmental factors, driving genetic differentiation from congeners into more xeric vegetation and (2) the invasion of TMVB from east to west, suggesting a role for both colonization and glacial/interglacial cycles models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new furan-2-carbonyl C -(6′- O -galloyl)-β-glucopyranoside (scleropentaside F, 1 ) and a new alkyl glucoside [butane-2,3-diol 2-(6′- O -galloyl)- O -β-glucopyranoside, 2 ] were isolated from the entire hemi-parasitic plant, Dendrophthoe pentandra growing on Tectona grandis together with ten known compounds including, benzyl- O -β- d -glucopyranoside ( 3 ), benzyl- O -α- l -rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-β- d -glucopyranoside ( 4 ), benzyl- O -β- d -apiofuranosyl-(1 → 6)-β- d -glucopyranoside ( 5 ), methyl gallate 3- O -β- d -glucopyranoside ( 6 ), methyl gallate 3- O -(6′- O -galloyl)-β- d -glucopyranoside ( 7 ), (+)-catechin ( 8 ), procyanidin B-1 ( 9 ) and procyanidin B-3 ( 10 ), bridelionoside A ( 11 ), and kiwiionoside ( 12 ). In addition, compounds 1, 3 – 9 were isolated from this species growing on the different host, Mangifera indica . The structure elucidations were based on physical data and spectroscopic evidence including 1D and 2D experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pollination of summer-flowering plants by birds has rarely been reported in temperate Asia and Europe. However, we recorded the Japanese white-eyeZosterops japonicus(Passeriformes: Zosteropidae) visiting the flowers of the hemiparasitic plantTaxillus kaempferi(Loranthaceae) during mid-summer (July to August) in a temperate forest in central Japan. Field observations showed thatZ. japonicuswas an almost exclusive flower visitor ofT. kaempferi. Specifically,Z. japonicusinserted their bills frequently into the flower tubes ofT. kaempferi. The corollas ofT. kaempferiwere shorter thanZ. japonicusbills, suggesting thatZ. japonicusis able to obtain floral nectar fromT. kaempferi. Close-up pictures ofZ. japonicusvisiting flowers showed that the upper bill and facial feathers ofZ. japonicuscame into contact with the reproductive organs ofT. kaempferi, leading to the attachment of pollen to these body parts. Thus,Z. japonicusmight act as an important pollinator of the summer-flowering plantT. kaempferi.​ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mistletoes are one group of hemiparasite plants, including the Lorantaceae family that have potential as medicinal. These hemiparasite plants can attack flowering plant (Magnoliophyta) and non-floweing plant (Pinophyta), especially on the main stems, branches and twigs. The objective of this research is to identify the species of mistletoe and its hosts, make identification key, descriptions and to make a distribution map of mistletoe in Joben Resort forest south of Mount Rinjani Lombok. This study is descriptive explorative research with three kinds of collecting sample methods i.e exploration, continous strip sampling and delenation method. The research found five species of mistletoes are included in three genera i.e Amyema cuernosensis, Amyema enneantha, Amyema tristis, Macrosolen retusus and Scurrula artropurpurea. These five kinds of mistletoe are associated with 23 hosts species of plants, 18 genera from 13 families. The most favorite host of these mistletoes is Ficus septica and the most agresive mistletoe is Scurrula artropurpurea. The important finding of the research is finding new species or new record of mistletoes. The benefit of these new record or new species is providing new material of new medicinal for treating some diseases such as various cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Struthanthus Mart. is a large genus in the Loranthaceae occurring in the New World Tropics. Although 12 species are currently recognized in Venezuela, many herbarium specimens are difficult to positively identify because of the ambiguity of some characters that are used to distinguish species. A multivariate analysis of 144 herbarium specimens based on 17 characters recognized the following 5 groups: S. corymbifer Rizzini, S. gracilis (Gleason) Steyerm. & Maguire, S. phillyreoides (Kunth) Blume, S. syringifolius Mart. and S. terniflorus (Klotzsch) Eichler, plus the discrete S. martianus Dettke & Waechter. A key and descriptions for all species recognized in this analysis for Struthanthus in Venezuela are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psittacanthus is one of the few genera of Loranthaceae that has been described as lacking endosperm and developing polycotyledonous embryos. Based on the study of seeds and seedlings of 12 species of Psittacanthus, we demonstrate that the embryo has two leafy cotyledons surrounded by a massive, compound, starchy, chlorophyllous endosperm, as in most species of Loranthaceae studied so far. We show that what has been described as a polycotyledonous embryo actually corresponds to the endosperm, and that, along with the fruit remains, it can reattach to the host after the seedling itself has anchored. The morphological, developmental and taxonomical implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Xylem-tapping mistletoes may experience relaxed selective pressure to use water efficiently during photosynthesis because of lower per-unit costs for water acquisition than experienced by host plants. As a result, we hypothesised that mistletoes would exhibit parallel but dampened leaf-level adaptations and responses to aridity, compared to those seen in hosts. Methods: Photosynthetic traits, leaf dark respiration, nutrient concentrations and specific leaf area (SLA) were measured on 42 mistletoe-host species-pairs sampled from five sites in Australia and Brazil that vary widely in aridity. Results: Mistletoes exhibited similar trait-shifts to hosts in relation to site aridity. In both groups, arid-site species showed stronger control over stomatal water loss, larger drawdown of CO during photosynthesis (lower c: c), higher leaf N and P concentrations per unit leaf area, and lower SLA. Nevertheless, mistletoes were profligate water users compared to their hosts and showed substantially less efficient use of water during photosynthesis. On average, mistletoes showed twice higher leaf dark respiration rates at a given photosynthetic capacity, suggesting relatively higher leaf maintenance costs for these parasitic plants. Conclusions: Despite fundamental differences in lifestyle and in photosynthetic traits, mistletoes exhibit trait responses and adaptations to site aridity in parallel and to approximately the same extent as their hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of plant phenology deals with seasonal events and how these are influenced by environmental factors, including symbiotic interactions. Considering host-mistletoe associations, our goal was to analyze the potential effects of host tree deciduousness on the life cycle of a mistletoe. Thus, Struthanthus martianus Dettke & Waechter was analyzed while growing upon a deciduous host tree and upon an evergreen one. We also compared the phenology of S. martianus with that of a closely related and sympatric species, Struthanthus flexicaulis (Mart. ex Schult. f.) Mart., growing upon a different but also evergreen host. Reproductive and vegetative phenological events were recorded during a three year period following a semiquantitative method. Circular statistical analysis was employed to compare phenological patterns. The peak of leaf production in S. martianus was observed to depend on host deciduousness, as the population infesting a deciduous host showed significant leaf flush during host defoliation. When comparing S. martianus and S. flexicaulis, nearly opposite patterns of flowering and fruiting phenology were recorded. Based on these observations, we conclude that Struthanthus species show niche partitioning to avoid competition. Additionally, we observed that the relationship established with different hosts can alter the mistletoe phenology. This observation highlights the uniqueness of the each host-mistletoe relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Phragmanthera capitata (Sprengel) Balle is a mistletoe of the Loranthaceae family that has been explored for its therapeutic properties in folklore for ages. However, there had been an alarming increase in misidentification of species in this family. This may be due in part to the lack of species taxonomic information. Hence, this study wishes to highlight the range of micromorphological features which could complement the information database of this species. Scanning electron, light, and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) microscopies were used for this study. The result revealed a paracytic type of stomata with mean abaxial and adaxial density of 225.42±3.67 mm2 and 137.21±5.65 mm2, respectively, and mean guard cell length of 26.45±0.02 μm. Oval-shaped lenticels with a mean length of 34.29±0.26 μm were observed. They were arranged in parallel on the epidermal cells of the abaxial midrib. Densely packed stellate trichomes were revealed on the abaxial epidermis with a density of 63.32±3.70 mm2. Tracheary elements, which are tightly packed with granules believed to be proteins, were observed in the cross sections of the twig. Deposits chiefly composed of silicon, aluminium, potassium, and iron were recorded in the EDX analysis. This study revealed detailed descriptive micromorphological structures which could serve as a source of information and reference for the taxonomic description of P. capitata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aerobically respiring eukaryotes usually contain four respiratory-chain complexes (complexes I-IV) and an ATP synthase (complex V). In several lineages of aerobic microbial eukaryotes, complex I has been lost, with an alternative, nuclear-encoded NADH dehydrogenase shown in certain cases to bypass complex I and oxidize NADH without proton translocation. The first loss of complex I in any multicellular eukaryote was recently reported in two studies; one sequenced the complete mitogenome of the hemiparasitic aerial mistletoe, Viscum scurruloideum, and the other sequenced the V. album mitogenome. The V. scurruloideum study reported no significant additional loss of mitochondrial genes or genetic function, but the V. album study postulated that mitochondrial genes encoding all ribosomal RNAs and proteins of all respiratory complexes are either absent or pseudogenes, thus raising questions as to whether the mitogenome and oxidative respiration are functional in this plant. Results: To determine whether these opposing conclusions about the two Viscum mitogenomes reflect a greater degree of reductive/degenerative evolution in V. album or instead result from interpretative and analytical differences, we reannotated and reanalyzed the V. album mitogenome and compared it with the V. scurruloideum mitogenome. We find that the two genomes share a complete complement of mitochondrial rRNA genes and a typical complement of genes encoding respiratory complexes II-V. Most Viscum mitochondrial protein genes exhibit very high levels of divergence yet are evolving under purifying, albeit relaxed selection. We discover two cases of horizontal gene transfer in V. album and show that the two Viscum mitogenomes differ by 8.6-fold in size (66 kb in V. scurruloideum; 565 kb in V. album). Conclusions: Viscum mitogenomes are extraordinary compared to other plant mitogenomes in terms of their wide size range, high rates of synonymous substitutions, degree of relaxed selection, and unprecedented loss of respiratory complex I. However, contrary to the initial conclusions regarding V. album, both Viscum mitogenomes possess conventional sets of rRNA and, excepting complex I, respiratory genes. Both plants should therefore be able to carry out aerobic respiration. Moreover, with respect to size, the V. scurruloideum mitogenome has experienced a greater level of reductive evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present study was carried out to determine the phytochemical constituents and Antiulcer activities of aqueous ethanolic leaf extract from Tapinanthus dodoneifolius grown on Tamarindus indica tree. Results obtained for phytochemical revealed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, saponins, glycosides and alkaloids. Antiulcer activity of aqueous ethanolic leaf extract from Tapinanthus dodoneifolius grown on Tamarindus indica tree was tested on wistar rats' stomach which was compared with standard antiulcer drug Omeparazole. Oral administration of aqueous ethanolic leaf extract from Tapinanthus dodoneifolius (500-1500mg/cm³) to Aspirin induced ulcerated wistar rats for one week reduced the incident of ulceration in a dose dependent manner. Acute toxicity study of the extract did not manifest any toxicological signs in rats. Thus the plant was considered relatively safe and it has potential antiulcer activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Loranthaceae, Santalaceae, and Viscaceae are the most diversified hemiparasitic families of Santalales in the Andes. Their partial inflorescences (PIs) vary from solitary flowers, or dichasia in most Santalales, to congested floral groups along articles in most Viscaceae. The atypical articled inflorescences in Phoradendreae (Viscaceae), a phylogenetic novelty restricted to this tribe, have been variously described as racemes, spikes, fascicles, or as intercalary inflorescences, but no developmental studies have been performed to compare them with the construction of PIs across Santalales. M ETHODS: We used standard light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy to record the inflorescence development in members of Phoradendreae (Viscaceae) in comparison to those in species of Aetanthus, Gaiadendron, Oryctanthus, Passovia, and Peristethium (Loranthaceae) and Antidaphne (Santalaceae). KEY RESULTS: Morphological and developmental comparisons as well as optimization onto a phylogenetic framework indicate that individual inflorescences in Santalales are indeterminate and are formed by axillary cymose PIs. The latter correspond to dichasia, either simple, compound, or variously reduced by abortion of lateral flowers, abortion of the terminal flower, or loss of bracteoles. CONCLUSIONS: Dichasia are plesiomorphic in Santalales. These results favor the interpretation that inflorescences in Phoradendreae are formed by the fusion of serial dichasia (=floral rows) with the main inflorescence axis via syndesmy. We compared this interpretation with the competing one based on the co-occurrence of collateral and serial floral buds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four new Trioza species associated with mistletoes are described, diagnosed and illustrated from Brazil and Chile. They are monophagous on the Loranthaceae Struthanthus uraguensis (Trioza struthanthi sp. n.), Tripodanthus acutifolius (Trioza tripodanthi sp. n.) and narrowly oligophagous on Tristerix spp. (Trioza tristericis sp. n.). For a fourth species (Trioza vagata sp. n.) host information is unavailable but its association with mistletoes is likely. The four species form a putative monophyletic group, together with three North American species (Trioza acuminata Tuthill, T. incidata Tuthill and T. phorodendrae Tuthill), based on the apically incised paramere, the highly modified valvulae of the female ovipositor and the host association with mistletoes. T. acuminata stat. n. from California is raised to species rank (originally described as subspecies of T. phorodendrae). The Trioza struthanthi-group is diagnosed and a key for the identification of its constituent members is provided. New host data are provided for Calophya sp. from Brazil as well as for Notophorina fusca Burckhardt and Zonopelma australis Burckhardt from Chile. Host plant and biogeographical patterns of mistletoe feeding psyllids around the world are briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of different levels of methanolic extract of Viscum album on fermentation pattern of cottonseed meal in vitro gas production technique. Completely randomized experimental design with four treatments namely 0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 ml of Viscum album and three replicates for each treatment were used. Gas production was measured at 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h. The results showed that methanol extract of Viscum album had significant effect on the amount of gas production from cottonseed meal at 2, 24, 48, 72 and 96 of incubation (P < 0.05), however at 4, 6, 8 and 12 hour of incubation had no significant effect. The addition of Viscum album extract to cottonseed meal reduced gas production at all hours of incubation, except for treatment 2, that gas production increased at 12 hour of incubation. With the addition of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 ml of Viscum album the potential of gas production (a+b) for cottonseed meal was reduced in all treatments compared to the control. The addition of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 of Viscum album extract decreased gas from the insoluble fraction of cottonseed meal in all treatments compared to the control. The rate of gas production (c) of cottonseed meal increased by the addition of Viscum album extract. The methanol extract of Viscum album was significant for cottonseed meal, which the amount of organic matter digestibility, metabolizable energy and net energy for lactation for cottonseed meal by adding levels of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 ml of Viscum album extracts decreased in all compared to control. In this study we find finally that by adding viscum album extract to fermentation syringes, the ruminal digestibility of cottonseed meal decreased and it may provide more bypass protein for intestine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of the little-known genus Demarchus Jacoby was discovered at Pilu, East Taiwan, and is here described as Demarchushsui sp. nov . The larvae and adults utilise showy mistletoes as food plants. Their remarkable biology is described in detail, including egg deposition and leaf mining behaviour. Their biology is compared with that of other members of the genus., Competing Interests: No conflict of interest was declared., (Chi-Feng Lee, Jung-Chan Chen.)