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| Arceuthobium pusillum Peck | Species Image Gallery (opens in a new window) |
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| TAXONOMY | |||||||||
| Family: | Viscaceae | ||||||||
| Genus: | Arceuthobium | ||||||||
| Species Synonyms: | Razoumofskya pusilla (Peck) Kuntze | ||||||||
| Common Names: | dwarf mistletoe eastern mistletoe |
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| DISTRIBUTION | |||||||||
| Canada: | east-central Saskatchewan – Manitoba – Ontario – Quebec – Newfoundland | ||||||||
| Saskatchewan: | east-central Saskatchewan; Armit – Pasquia Hills | ||||||||
| Ecoregion: | Mid-Boreal Lowland | ||||||||
| HABITAT | |||||||||
| Saskatchewan: | parasitic on white spruce trees or other conifers | ||||||||
| Associated Species: | black spruce, jackpine, white spruce | ||||||||
| RARITY STATUS | |||||||||
| Provincial
Status According to Harms (2003): |
Endangered |
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| Nature Conservancy Status: | G5 S1 |
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| Saskatchewan
Species at Risk Status: |
None |
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| COSEWIC Status: | None |
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| Dwarf mistletoe is endangered because of rarity in Saskatchewan. This species is regionally restricted to eastern Saskatchewan and population sizes vary. Immediate or probable threats have been identified. | |||||||||
| SPECIES DESCRIPTION | |||||||||
| Growth Habit: | parasitic on conifers, but also with chlorophyll | ||||||||
| Height: | 5 – 20 mm high | ||||||||
| Stems: | fragile, simple to branched, greenish-brown or brown | ||||||||
| Leaves: | opposite, simple, minute, scale-like, | ||||||||
| Inflorescence: | flowers in axillary pairs, male and female flowers on separate plants | ||||||||
| Flowers: | male flowers with tepals 3; female flowers with tepals 2 | ||||||||
| Fruits: | about 2 mm long | ||||||||
| Other: | often causing “witches broom” | ||||||||
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