interesting mistletoe question

[(Australian Ornithological Services P.L.)]

To the question on mistletoe

It is a common misconception that a  mistletoe sp. mimics the leaves of the
host tree. Certain species of mistletoe are more inclined to grow on
certain species of tree. It is probably that a species of mistletoe evolved
on a particular species of tree, perhaps to protect it from leaf eating
predators, that it has the leaf appearance of that tree, however it will
grow on other trees. I have in my garden a mistletoe on a eucalypt that is
usually found on casurinas and the leaf  resembles that of a casurina not a
euacalypt. Mistletoe spp.that grow on eucalyptus spp. will only
occasionally grow on other spp. of trees . Freshly Mistletoe (Amyema
miraculasum) will grow on other mistletoe spp. I have put all sorts of
mistletoe on all sorts of trees and some take more readily to certain spp.
of trees than others.

Cheers

Philip Maher
P.O. Box 382 Balwyn Victoria
----------------------------
94 Hunter Street Deniliquin 2710 NSW