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Plants\Trees
Rainforest Mistletoe
Photo: C & D Frith
Australia's Wet Tropics Rainforest Life
Rainforest Mistletoe: Dendrophthoe falcata
Mistletoe is easily seen in the rainforest clearing at
Chambers Wildlife Rainforest Lodges.
Mistletoes, like Strangler Figs, start up life in the canopy.
Mistletoes are partial parasites, that is they derive their water and nutrients from the
host tree to its detriment, but their green leaves carry out photosynthesis, as do all
green plants, to produce additional foods.
Mistletoes have evolved a fascinating way of ensuring the
dispersal of their fruits. Mistletoe birds and other frugivores eat the soft mistletoe
berries.
The Mistletoe bird eats insects and therefore has a
grinding gizzard. When eating the Mistletoe berry the bird is able to close
the gizzard and shunt the soft, toxic seed quickly through its digestive
tract.
Within 25mins of eating the berry the Mistletoe bird
passes the seed and if deposited on a suitable tree, this seed can
germinate.
Many of the rainforest mistletoes, such as Dendrophthoe
falcata, have spectacular large red flowers.
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