| Phoradendron californicum | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Core eudicots |
| Order: | Santalales |
| Family: | Santalaceae |
| Genus: | Phoradendron |
| Species: | P. californicum |
| Binomial name | |
| Phoradendron californicum Nutt. |
|
Phoradendron californicum, the desert mistletoe or mesquite mistletoe, is a parasitic plant native to southern California, Nevada, Arizona, and Baja California. It can be found in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts under 4000 feet elevation.
The mistletoe is a leafless plant that attaches to host plants, often leguminous woody desert trees such as Cercidium and Prosopis.[1] The mistletoe takes water and nutrients from its host plants but it also photosynthesizes.[1]
During the winter it produces inconspicuous, fragrant flowers. Female desert mistletoe produces red berries that are eaten by the phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens), which then spreads the seeds. Phainopeplas cannot digest the seed of desert mistletoe, so the birds disperse the seeds when they defecate or wipe their bills.