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Phoradendron
Mistletoe produces a white berry that is part of many bird's diet. The seed are covered with a sticky substance. They are spread by birds to other trees and deposited on limbs in their excrement. The gelatinous coating acts like a glue to bind the seed to the limb until it germinates. After germination, a root like structure penetrates the bark and grows into the xylem, water conducting tissue of the limb. The root like structures ( haustoria) take materials needed by the mistletoe. Mistletoe seldom kills a tree outright, but heavily infested limbs are stressed. This can increase a tree's susceptibility to other problems.
Cedar elm tree in north Texas.
Species of Phoradendron (which means tree thief in Greek) are the leafy mistletoes found in Texas. The European leafy mistletoe species is Viscum album but is not found in Texas.
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