About

Amyema miraculosa, also known as the fleshy mistletoe and the round-leaf mistletoe, is an Australian native mistletoe found in all states except Tasmania. It is a woody, hemiparasitic plant, in the Loranthaceae family. Being hemiparasitic, it draws water and minerals from its host, however it photosynthesises to manufacture its own supply of carbohydrates.

The plant has thick, fleshy leaves with rounded tips. It has dark red flowers which are carried in groups of three and the fruit is a narrow shaped yellow berry. It forms dense, upright clumps and is often found parasitising other parasitic plants, making it an epiparasite. It has been recorded utilising a total of 41 different species as hosts, however its preferred hosts are from the Santalum family and other Loranthaceae species.

Where it grows

With its tubular red flowers, the pollination of A. miraculosa is predominantly via birds. Once the fruit has set, it is then dispersed by a different suite of birds of which the main species is the mistletoe bird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum). The seed passes quickly through the gut of the bird and if it is deposited on a branch of a suitable species, the seed will grow into a new plant. A. miraculosa is also a host plant for butterflies and their caterpillars

Other Amyema plants

Amyema arthrocaulis · Twin Leaf Mistletoe · Twin Fork Mistletoe · Amyema biniflora · Needle Leaf Mistletoe · Variable Mistletoe · Amyema dolichopoda · Pincushion Mistletoe · Paperbark Mistletoe · Hakea Mistletoe · Amyema lisae · Mangrove Mistletoe