A large plant of the drooping mistletoe,Amyema pendulis,growing on a Eucalyptus tree in Warrandyte State Park,Victoria,Australia,Australia has 90 species of native mistletoe,of which 71 are endemic. 88 are aerial parasites of trees,2 are root parasites. Heavily infested trees may contain as many as 20 mistletoes,at which level the parasite may cause death to its host due to drought. Mistletoes represent a reliable source of food for animals and birds,since many have a long flowering and fruiting season. Landscapes with mistletoes have been shown to have a greater diversity of bird and animals species than those without.The picture shows a Eucalyptus tree infested with a single large mistletoe. The parasite is visible as a drooping mass of stems with leaves of a brighter,more yellow,green hue than the leaves of the host | |
Licence : | Droits gérés |
Crédit: | Science Photo Library / Burgess, Dr. Jeremy |
Taille de l’image : | 3468 px × 5212 px |
Model Release : | Non requis |
Property Release : | Non requis |
Restrictions : | - |