Psittacanthus robustus

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

Psittacanthus robustus
Psittacanthus robustus
Scientific 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]

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. "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. "Psittacanthus robustus (Mart.) Mart". Flora do Brasil 2020: Algae, Fungi, Plants, Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  4. 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. 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. JSTOR. 8 (3): 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". (BHL)

Further reading
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