Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Brittle, hemiparasitic, producing haustoria that penetrate the host.

Stems: Stems 1.5–5 dm long, many-branched, a central stem usually not obvious past the first internode, all stems of similar width, arising obliquely or decussately, stems cylindrical for 1(2) internodes, otherwise flattened throughout, second internode cylindrical or somewhat flattened, 17–40 (–60) mm long, 3–5(–7) mm wide, other internodes usually 20–40 mm long, 1.5–5 mm wide, usually 1–3–nerved, the nerves often indistinct, uppermost internodes usually only 8–20 mm long, 1.5–3 mm wide.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple Opposite and distichous. strongly reduced Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers confined to the axils, but enlarging enough that those of adjacent axils nearly touch. Flowers unisexual, minute, actinomorphic. Calyx (sepals) absent. Corolla or pistillate flowers 3-lobed, the lobes short, triangular, valvate. Staminate flowers globose in bud, later with 3 triangular segments, Stamens connate into a globose synandrium, 6 celled; anthers opening by slits toward the center of the synandrium. Pollen ultimately pouring out from a single central, apical pore. Ovary inferior (pistillate flowers), clavate or pear–shaped in bud, 3–4-carpellate, 1-celled; style terminal; stigma nipple–shaped, the embryo sacs first growing downward, then curving upward in the ovary wall, eventually U–shaped.

Fruit: Berries with persistent corolla; fleshy; glossy. Seeds 1 per fruit; flattened in the upper portion; seed coat absent; endosperm starchy; chlorophyllose.

Ploidy:

Habitat: Diverse mesic forest.

Elevation Range: 300–1,220 m.