Become a Sponsor of the NY Flora Atlas!

Phoradendron leucarpum

Family:Santalaceae
Species:Phoradendron leucarpum (Raf.) Reveal & M.C. Johnst.
Common Name:American mistletoe
Habitat:**
Associated Ecological Communities:**
Growth Habit:Subshrub, Shrub
Duration:Perennial
Category:Vascular
Plant Notes:This species is an epiphytic parasite. According to Hollick and Britton (1879) in the Flora of Richmond County, New York this species (as Phoradendron flavescens), is "said to have grown in a swamp near Clifton, but [has] not recently [been] found." Later, Britton (1884) states that, "in 1879, while preparing the Flora of Richmond Co., N.Y., with Mr. Arthur Hollick, we were credibly informed that, only a few years before, the mistletoe was growing on sour gums near Clifton, and a note was made to that effect; since then I have been shown a locality in that neighborhood by Mr. R.S. Newbury, of New York, where he had seen the plant in former years. The Nyssa was there - several very old, decaying trees - but no Phoradendron." According to House (1924), "there seem to be no herbarium specimens in existence as a record of its former occurrence on Staten Island." Mitchell and Tucker (1997) report this species from New York noting that, "several early reports indicate that mistletoe was native on Staten Island, where it was gathered for holiday decorations before its apparent extirpation in the late 19th century." Based on the reports mentioned above we consider this species to have been native in Richmond County and currently consider it extirpated from New York.
Taxonomic Notes:**
Status:Not Persisting, Native, SX (State Rank), G5 (Global Rank), CoC: 10
References:**

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

SupraordinalEudicots
Order Santalales
FamilySantalaceae
Genus Phoradendron
SpeciesPhoradendron leucarpum (Raf.) Reveal & M.C. Johnst. - American mistletoe

Citation

Citation Phoradendron leucarpum (Raf.) Reveal & M.C. Johnst.
Basionym: **
Type: **

** Not applicable or data not available.

Source

No sources exist for this species.

Synonyms

SynonymFull CitationBasionymTypeNotes
Phoradendron flavescens Phoradendron flavescens (Pursh) Nutt. ex A. Gray   
Phoradendron serotinum Phoradendron serotinum (Raf.) M.C. Johnst.