Arceuthobium campylopodum
Encyclopedia
Arceuthobium campylopodum is a species of dwarf mistletoe
known as western dwarf mistletoe. It is native to the low to moderate elevation coniferous forests of western North America. It is a common parasite
of several species of pine tree, including Jeffrey Pine
, Ponderosa Pine
, and Coulter Pine
. The dwarf mistletoe is a greenish-yellow structure above the bark of the tree, while most of the plant is beneath the bark. Seeds mature during the fall and disperse to nearby trees.
.
Arceuthobium
The genus Arceuthobium, commonly called Dwarf Mistletoes, is a genus of 42 species of parasitic plants that parasitize members of Pinaceae and Cupressaceae in North America, Central America, Asia and Africa. Of the 42 species, 39 and 21 are endemic to North America and the United States, respectively...
known as western dwarf mistletoe. It is native to the low to moderate elevation coniferous forests of western North America. It is a common parasite
Parasitic plant
A parasitic plant is one that derives some or all of its sustenance from another plant. About 4,100 species in approximately 19 families of flowering plants are known. Parasitic plants have a modified root, the haustorium, that penetrates the host plant and connects to the xylem, phloem, or...
of several species of pine tree, including Jeffrey Pine
Jeffrey Pine
The Jeffrey Pine, Pinus jeffreyi, named in honor of its botanist documenter John Jeffrey, is a North American pine related to Ponderosa Pine.-Distribution and habitat:...
, Ponderosa Pine
Ponderosa Pine
Pinus ponderosa, commonly known as the Ponderosa Pine, Bull Pine, Blackjack Pine, or Western Yellow Pine, is a widespread and variable pine native to western North America. It was first described by David Douglas in 1826, from eastern Washington near present-day Spokane...
, and Coulter Pine
Coulter Pine
The Coulter Pine or Big-cone Pine is a native of the coastal mountains of southern California and northern Baja California . Isolated groves are found as far north as the San Francisco Bay Area in Mt. Diablo State Park and Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve...
. The dwarf mistletoe is a greenish-yellow structure above the bark of the tree, while most of the plant is beneath the bark. Seeds mature during the fall and disperse to nearby trees.
Uses
Some Plateau Indian tribes used western dwarf mistletoe as a wash to prevent dandruffDandruff
Dandruff is the shedding of dead skin cells from the scalp . Dandruff is sometimes caused by frequent exposure to extreme heat and cold. As it is normal for skin cells to die and flake off, a small amount of flaking is normal and common; about 487,000 cells/cm2 get released normally after...
.