Psittacanthus robustus

Psittacanthus robustus
Psittacanthus robustus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Santalales
Family: Loranthaceae
Genus: Psittacanthus
Species:
P. robustus
Binomial name
Psittacanthus robustus
collections data from GBIF[2]
Synonyms
  • Loranthus robustus Mart.
  • Psittacanthus decipiens Eichler
  • Psittacanthus formosus (Cham. & Schltdl.) G.Don
  • Psittacanthus intermedius Rizzini
  • Psittacanthus speciosus (Pohl ex DC.) G. Don
  • Psittacanthus stenanthus Rizzini [3]

Psittacanthus robustus is a species of Neotropical mistletoe in the family Loranthaceae, which is found in Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, and Venezuela.[4]

Description

Initially, branches are erect, but adult branches are pendulous.[3] Branch cross-sections are square.[3] Leaves are petiolate and obtuse at both base and apex.[3] Inflorescences are both terminal and axillary, consisting of umbels of yellow to orange triads (flowers in groups of three).[3] The fruit is light green colored when immature but when ripe the colour changes to black, and looks somewhat like an olive.[5] Its seeds have 3 cotyledons and sticky substance inside.[5]

Taxonomy

P. robustus was first described by Martius in 1829 as Loranthus robustus,[6][7] and in 1830, he assigned it to a new genus Psittacanthus.[1][8]

Distribution

It has been found in the Northern Amazon, in Brazil North, Brazil Northeast, Brazil Southeast, Brazil West-Central, Colombia, Guyana, and Venezuela,[4] in Amazonian rainforests, Caatinga, the Central Brazilian Savanna, and the Atlantic Rainforest.[3]

Ecology

Three species of birds have been found eating and excreting the seeds. The most common isTersina viridis viridis (swallow tanager), but also the cinnamon-tanager, Schystoclamys ruficapillus ruficapillus, and the sayaca-tanager, Thraupis sayaca sayaca.[5]

It has been found on thirteen hosts, from the genera Vochysiaceae and Melastomaceae.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b "IPNI: Psittacanthus robustus". International Plant Names Index. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  2. ^ GBIF.org (19 May 2018) GBIF Occurrence Download https://doi.org/10.15468/dl.rzldkq
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Psittacanthus robustus (Mart.) Mart". Flora do Brasil 2020: Algae, Fungi, Plants, Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  4. ^ a b Govaerts, R. et al. 2018. "Plants of the World online: Psittacanthus robustus". Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  5. ^ a b c d Ricardo Ferreira Monteiro, Rogerio Parentoni Martins and Kikyo Yamamoto (August 1992). "Host Specificity and Seed Dispersal of Psittacanthus robustus (Loranthaceae) in South-East Brazil". Journal of Tropical Ecology. 8 (3). JSTOR: 307–314. doi:10.1017/S026646740000657X.
  6. ^ "IPNI: Loranthus robustus". International Plant Names Index. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  7. ^ von Martius, C.F.P. 1829. "Systema Vegetabilium, ed. 15 bis [Roemer & Schultes] 7(1): 125". Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  8. ^ von Martius, C.F.P. 1830. Flora oder Botanische Zeitung :welche Recensionen, Abhandlungen, Aufsätze, Neuigkeiten und Nachrichten, die Botanik betreffend, enthält / 13(1): 108. Vol. 13. 1830. (BHL)

Further reading