Muellerina flexialabastra
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Muellerina flexialabastra | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Santalales |
| Family: | Loranthaceae |
| Genus: | Muellerina |
| Species: | M. flexialabastra |
| Binomial name | |
| Muellerina flexialabastra | |
 | |
| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Muellerina flexialabastra, common name Hoop pine mistletoe, is a hemiparasitic aerial shrub in the family Loranthaceae.[3] The species is endemic to Queensland.[3]
M. flexialabastra is a compact, bushy plant found in high altitude sub-tropical rainforests and the drier rainforests between Queensland and New South Wales.[3] The inflorescence is a terminal raceme off a central axis, and the pink to red tubular flowers occur in strongly reflexed, decussate pairs with a central sessile flower.[3] The ovoid fruits (6 – 15 mm long) are a red-blotched yellowish-green.[3]
Ecology
The main host on which M. flexialabastra grows is Hoop pine (Araucaria cunninghamii).[3] An inventory of host plants for Muellerina flexialabastra is given by Downey.[4][5]
Muellerina flexialabastra is not known to host any butterflies, but butterfly species using M. celastroides may use this mistletoe as well.[3]