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Taxonomy

The families Santalaceae, Loranthaceae and Viscaceae were treated in Flora of Australia Volume 22 (1984). Most of the information presented remains up-to-date, and the keys are still adequate for identification of mistletoes.

The species currently recognized in Australia are set out below.

Those for which there are no significant amendments since the Flora treatment are marked with an asterisk (*).

(Australian Plant Census lists, with synonomy and links to APNI, are available for these families, end of this page)

Brief notes and references are provided for the cases where later studies have necessitated change or added to our knowledge. For completeness, root-parasites have been included in the list for Loranthaceae (Atkinsonia, Nuytsia), but the list for Santalaceae has been restricted to the sole aerial parasitic genus in Australia (Dendromyza).

Currently we recognize 89 mistletoe species in 14 genera in Australia, as follows:

 

Genera

species

SANTALACEAE

1

1

LORANTHACEAE
(excluding terrestrial root parasites)

10

73

VISCACEAE

3

15

Of these, 66 species (74%) are endemic to Australia.

SANTALACEAE

Dendromyza

LORANTHACEAE

Amyema. In Flora of Australia the names of Amyema species were given in neuter gender, in accordance with nomenclature rules existing at the time. Subsequent changes to these rules required that Amyema be treated as feminine, so that, for example, epithets with “-um” endings now require “-a” endings.

Amylotheca

Atkinsonia

Benthamina

Cecarria

Dactyliophora

Decaisnina. Following Barlow’s revision of the entire genus through its range to Indonesia and the Philippines, the status of some Australian species and subspecies has changed.

Dendrophthoe

Diplatia

Lysiana

Muellerina

Nuytsia

VISCACEAE

Korthalsella

Notothixos

Viscum

Australian Plant Census

Lists showing synonomy for the mistletoe taxa in these three families, and links to the Australain Plant Name Index (APNI) are available from the Australian Plant Census project:

Loranthaceae
Santalaceae (only genus Dendromyza)
Viscaceae

See also a Checklist to the Australian species showing host genera, with links to photos.

 



Written by Bryan Barlow, updated 21 August, 2008 by webmaster, ANBG (anbg-info@anbg.gov.au)