''Amyema'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of semi- parasitic shrubs (

mistletoe Mistletoe is the common name for obligate hemiparasitic plants in the order Santalales. They are attached to their host tree or shrub by a structure called the haustorium, through which they extract water and nutrients from the host plant. ...

s) which occur in

Malesia Malesia is a biogeographical region straddling the Equator and the boundaries of the Indomalayan and Australasian realms, and also a phytogeographical floristic region in the Paleotropical Kingdom. It has been given different definitions. The ...

and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

Etymology

''Amyema'' derives from the Greek: ''a'' (negative), and ''myeo'' (I initiate), referring to the genus being previously unrecognised.

Description

Hamilton & Barlow describe the haustorial structures of most Australian ''Amyemas'' as being ball-like, with some exceptions.

Species

There are approximately 90 species including the following: * ''

Amyema arthrocaulis ''Amyema arthrocaulis'' is a species of mistletoe in the family Loranthaceae native to New Guinea. References External links''Amyema arthrocaulis'' occurrence datafrom GBIF The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) is an internatio ...

'' Barlow * ''

Amyema artensis ''Amyema'' is a genus of semi- parasitic shrubs (mistletoes) which occur in Malesia and Australia. Etymology ''Amyema'' derives from the Greek: ''a'' (negative), and ''myeo'' (I initiate), referring to the genus being previously unrecognised. ...

'' (Mont.) Dan. (indigenous to

Upolu Upolu is an island in Samoa, formed by a massive basaltic shield volcano which rises from the seafloor of the western Pacific Ocean. The island is long and in area, making it the second largest of the Samoan Islands by area. With approximatel ...

and Savai'i, known as ''tapuna''.) * '' Amyema benthamii'' (Blakely) Danser * ''

Amyema betchei ''Amyema'' is a genus of semi- parasitic shrubs (mistletoes) which occur in Malesia and Australia. Etymology ''Amyema'' derives from the Greek: ''a'' (negative), and ''myeo'' (I initiate), referring to the genus being previously unrecognised. D ...

'' (Blakely) Danser * ''

Amyema bifurcata ''Amyema bifurcata'' is an epiphytic, flowering, hemiparasitic plant of the family Loranthaceae native to Australia and found in Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales. Description Its inflorescence is an um ...

'' (Benth.) Tiegh. * ''

Amyema biniflora ''Amyema biniflora'', the twin-flower mistletoe, is a species of flowering plant within the genus ''Amyema'', an epiphytic hemiparasitic plant of the family Loranthaceae endemic to Queensland, Australia. Type species Type: Endeavour R., Banks ...

'' Barlow * ''

Amyema brassii ''Amyema'' is a genus of semi- parasitic shrubs (mistletoes) which occur in Malesia and Australia. Etymology ''Amyema'' derives from the Greek: ''a'' (negative), and ''myeo'' (I initiate), referring to the genus being previously unrecognised. ...

'' Barlow * ''

Amyema brevipes ''Amyema'' is a genus of semi- parasitic shrubs (mistletoes) which occur in Malesia and Australia. Etymology ''Amyema'' derives from the Greek: ''a'' (negative), and ''myeo'' (I initiate), referring to the genus being previously unrecognised. D ...

'' (Tiegh.) Danser * ''

Amyema cambagei ''Amyema cambagei'', commonly known as sheoak mistletoe, is a species of flowering plant, an Epiphyte, epiphytic Parasitic plant, hemiparasitic plant of the family Loranthaceae endemic to Australia, and found in New South Wales and Queensland in ...

'' (Blakely) Danser * ''

Amyema congener ''Amyema congener'', commonly known as the variable mistletoe, is a species of flowering plant, an epiphytic hemiparasitic plant of the family Loranthaceae from eastern Australia. It is found on members of the genera ''Allocasuarina'', ''Acacia' ...

'' (Sieber ex Schult. & Schult.f.) Tiegh. * ''

Amyema conspicua ''Amyema'' is a genus of semi- parasitic shrubs (mistletoes) which occur in Malesia and Australia. Etymology ''Amyema'' derives from the Greek: ''a'' (negative), and ''myeo'' (I initiate), referring to the genus being previously unrecognised. D ...

'' (F.M.Bailey) Danser * ''

Amyema dolichopoda ''Amyema dolichopoda'' is a species of mistletoe in the family Loranthaceae native to Western Australia. References External links''Amyema dolichopoda'' occurrence datafrom the Australasian Virtual Herbarium The ''Australasian Virtual Herbar ...

'' Barlow * ''

Amyema duurenii ''Amyema'' is a genus of semi- parasitic shrubs (mistletoes) which occur in Malesia and Australia. Etymology ''Amyema'' derives from the Greek: ''a'' (negative), and ''myeo'' (I initiate), referring to the genus being previously unrecognised. D ...

'' Barlow * ''

Amyema eburna ''Amyema'' is a genus of semi- parasitic shrubs (mistletoes) which occur in Malesia and Australia. Etymology ''Amyema'' derives from the Greek: ''a'' (negative), and ''myeo'' (I initiate), referring to the genus being previously unrecognised. D ...

'' (Barlow) Barlow * ''

Amyema fitzgeraldii ''Amyema fitzgeraldii'', the pincushion mistletoe, is a species of flowering plant within the genus ''Amyema'', an epiphytic hemiparasitic plant of the family Loranthaceae endemic to Australia, and found in the Northern Territory, South Austral ...

'' (Blakely) Danser - pincushion mistletoe * ''

Amyema gaudichaudii ''Amyema gaudichaudii'', commonly known as melaleuca mistletoe, is a plant in the Family (biology), family Loranthaceae Endemism, endemic to eastern Australia. Like other mistletoes, it is a shrubby, woody, wikt:aerial, aerial Parasitic plant#Cla ...

'' (DC.) Tiegh. * ''

Amyema gibberula ''Amyema gibberula'' is an aerial hemiparasitic plant of the family Loranthaceae native to Australia and found in Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and South Australia. Description It flowers in dyads (groups of two flowers) and usually ...

'' (Tate) Danser * ''

Amyema glabra ''Amyema'' is a genus of semi- parasitic shrubs (mistletoes) which occur in Malesia and Australia. Etymology ''Amyema'' derives from the Greek: ''a'' (negative), and ''myeo'' (I initiate), referring to the genus being previously unrecognised. D ...

'' (Domin) Danser * ''

Amyema haematodes ''Amyema'' is a genus of semi- parasitic shrubs ( mistletoes) which occur in Malesia and Australia. Etymology ''Amyema'' derives from the Greek: ''a'' (negative), and ''myeo'' (I initiate), referring to the genus being previously unrecognised. ...

'' (O.Schwarz) Danser * ''

Amyema herbertiana ''Amyema'' is a genus of semi- parasitic shrubs (mistletoes) which occur in Malesia and Australia. Etymology ''Amyema'' derives from the Greek: ''a'' (negative), and ''myeo'' (I initiate), referring to the genus being previously unrecognised. ...

'' Barlow * '' Amyema hilliana'' (Blakely) Danser * ''

Amyema linophylla ''Amyema'' is a genus of semi- parasitic shrubs (mistletoes) which occur in Malesia and Australia. Etymology ''Amyema'' derives from the Greek: ''a'' (negative), and ''myeo'' (I initiate), referring to the genus being previously unrecognised. D ...

'' (Fenzl) Tiegh. * '' Amyema lisae'' Pelser & Barcelona * ''

Amyema lucasii ''Amyema'' is a genus of semi- parasitic shrubs (mistletoes) which occur in Malesia and Australia. Etymology ''Amyema'' derives from the Greek: ''a'' (negative), and ''myeo'' (I initiate), referring to the genus being previously unrecognised. D ...

'' (Blakely) Danser * '' Amyema mackayensis'' (Blakely) Danser * '' Amyema maidenii'' (Blakely) Barlow * '' Amyema melaleucae'' (Lehm. ex Miq.) Tiegh. * '' Amyema microphylla'' Barlow * ''

Amyema miquelii ''Amyema miquelii'', also known as box mistletoe, is a species of flowering plant, an epiphytic hemiparasitic plant of the family Loranthaceae, found attached to several species of Australian eucalypt and occasionally on some species of Acacia. ...

'' (Lehm. ex Miq.) Tiegh. - stalked mistletoe * '' Amyema miraculosa'' (Miq.) Tiegh. * '' Amyema nestor'' (S.Moore) Danser *'' Amyema nickrentii'' Barcelona & Pelser * ''

Amyema pendula ''Amyema pendula'', also known as drooping mistletoe or furry drooping mistletoe, is a species of flowering plant, an epiphytic hemiparasitic plant of the family Loranthaceae, found attached to several species of Australian eucalypt and occasio ...

'' (Sieber ex Spreng.) Tiegh. - drooping mistletoe * '' Amyema preissii'' (Miq.) Tiegh. - wireleaf mistletoe * ''

Amyema quandang ''Amyema quandang'' is a species of hemi-parasitic shrub which is widespread throughout the mainland of Australia, especially arid inland regions, sometimes referred to as the grey mistletoe. Description An aerial shrub, without conventional roo ...

'' (Lindl.) Tiegh. * '' Amyema quaternifolia'' Barlow * '' Amyema queenslandica'' (Blakely) Danser * '' Amyema sanguinea'' (F.Muell.) Danser * '' Amyema seemeniana'' (K.Schum.) Danser * '' Amyema subcapitata'' Barlow * '' Amyema tetraflora'' (Barlow) Barlow * '' Amyema tetrapetala'' (Danser) Barlow * '' Amyema thalassia'' Barlow * ''

Amyema tridactyla ''Amyema tridactyla'' is a species of mistletoe in the family Loranthaceae native to the Northern Territory, first described by Bryan Alwyn Barlow Bryan Alwyn Barlow (born 1933) is an Australian botanist. He was a member of Committee of the "F ...

'' Barlow * '' Amyema tristis'' (Zoll.) Tiegh. * ''

Amyema verticillata ''Amyema'' is a genus of semi- parasitic shrubs (mistletoes) which occur in Malesia and Australia. Etymology ''Amyema'' derives from the Greek: ''a'' (negative), and ''myeo'' (I initiate), referring to the genus being previously unrecognised. ...

'' (Merr.) Danser * '' Amyema villiflora'' (Domin) Barlow * '' Amyema whitei'' (Blakely) Danser

Faunal associations

The

mistletoebird The mistletoebird (''Dicaeum hirundinaceum''), also known as the mistletoe flowerpecker, is a species of flowerpecker native to most of Australia (though absent from Tasmania and the driest desert areas) and also to the eastern Maluku Islands of ...

is known to consume the fruit of ''Amyema quandang'' as well as other mistletoe species from which its name is derived. Larvae of the butterfly genus ''

Delias ''Delias'' is a genus of butterflies. There are about 250 species of the genus ''Delias'', found in South Asia and Australia. The genus is considered to have its evolutionary origins in the Australian region.Braby, M.F. and N.E. Pierce. 2006. Sy ...

'' often use various ''Amyema'' species as larval food plants. In doing so, the adults acquire a taste that is unpalatable to predators.

Uses

The fruit of ''Amyema'' species is high in protein, lipids, and carbohydrates, and was eaten by the

Ngunnawal The Ngunnawal people, also spelt Ngunawal, are an Aboriginal people of southern New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory in Australia. Language Ngunnawal and Gundungurra are Australian Aboriginal languages from the Pama-Nyungan ...

people.Ngunnawal Elders & their families. 2014. Ngunnawal Plant Use, ACT Government,

References

External links

* * * {{Taxonbar, from=Q246382 Parasitic plants Loranthaceae genera Taxa named by Philippe Édouard Léon Van Tieghem Plants described in 1895