e-Key <span id="jodit_selection_marker_1709290046028_2379537660491038" data-jodit_selection_marker="start" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"></span>v3 - Eriant<span id="jodit_selection_marker_1709290046028_03339315448849223" data-jodit_selection_marker="end" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"></span>hemum
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Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Loranthaceae - Erianthemum Tiegh.

Description:

  • Aerial, hemiparasitic, moderate-sized to large shrubs up to 2 m high; younger stems and leaves densely brownish to whitish stellate-pubescent
  • Leaves opposite-subopposite, sometimes crowded in fascicles on older stems
  • Inflorescence a 2-6-flowered head, axillary or terminating short spur-branches originating from leaf fascicles on older stems
  • Flowers 5-merous with conspicuous, whitish, long (3-5 mm), ascending, silky hairs
  • Corolla radially symmetrical at anthesis, without unilateral split; lobes variously reflexed at anthesis, usually longer than or equalling tube
  • Filaments arising well above base of lobes; anthers breaking from filaments with explosive opening of corolla, remaining filaments essentially erect
  • Style filiform; stigma capitate
  • Berry reddish, with long silky hairs; calyx tube persistent
  • x = 9 (1 report)

Nomenclature:

  • Erianthemum Tiegh.
    • Van Tieghem: 247 (1895)
    • Danser: 55 (1933)
    • Balle: 159 (1968)
    • Balle: 4 (1969)
    • Wiens & Tölken: 29 (1979)
    • Germishuizen et al.: 16 (1994)
    • Polhill & Wiens: 234 (1998)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global: Species 16, widely distributed from central to southern Africa
  • Southern Africa: Species 2, Namibia, Botswana, Northern Province, North-West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Swaziland, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape

References:

  • BALLE, S. 1968. Les Loranthacées de l'Afrique du Sud-Ouest. Mitteilungen der Botanischen Staatssammlung München 7
  • BALLE, S. 1969. Loranthaceae. Prodromus einer Flora von Südwestafrika 22
  • DANSER, B.H. 1933. A new system for the genera of Loranthaceae: Loranthoideae, with a nomenclator for the old world species of this subfamily. Verhandelingen der Koninklijke Akademie van Wetenschappen te Amsterdam Afdeeling Natuurkunde, Sect. 2. 29,6
  • GERMISHUIZEN, G., LEISTNER, O.A., MARCH, H. & SCOTT, M. 1994. Erianthemum dregei. Flowering Plants of Africa 53
  • POLHILL, R. & WIENS, D. 1998. The mistletoes of Africa. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
  • VAN TIEGHEM, P.E.L. 1895. Sur le groupement des espèces en genres dans les Loranthacées à calice dialysepale et anthères basifixes ou dendrophthoées. Bulletin de la Société Botanique de France 42
  • WIENS, D. & TÖLKEN, H. 1979. Loranthaceae. Flora of southern Africa 10,1