Viscum album

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Viscum album is a species of mistletoe, the species originally so-named, and also known as European Mistletoe or Common Mistletoe to distinguish it from other related species. It is native to Europe, and western and southern Asia.It is a hemi-parasitic shrub, which grows on the stems of other trees. It has stems 30-100 cm long with dichotomous branching. The leaves are in opposite pairs, strap-shaped, entire, leathery textured, 2-8 cm long and 0.8-2.5 cm broad, yellowish-green in colour. Usually dioecious, the flowers are inconspicuous, yellowish-green, 2-3 mm diameter. The fruit is a white or yellow berry containing several seeds embedded in the very sticky, glutinous fruit pulp.Up to four subspecies are commonly accepted (Flora Europaea, Flora of China, Bean 1980, Blamey & Grey-Wilson 1989), and two others sometimes so. They differ in fruit colour, leaf shape and size, and most obviously in the host trees utilised.
  • '''Viscum album subsp. abietis' (Wiesb.) Abromeit. Central Europe. Fruit white; leaves up to 8 cm. On Abies''.
  • '''Viscum album subsp. album'. Europe, southwestern Asia east to Nepal. Fruit white; leaves 3-5 cm. On Malus, Populus, Tilia, and less often on numerous other species, including (rarely) Quercus''.
  • '''Viscum album subsp. austriacum' (Wiesb.) Vollmann. Fruit yellow; leaves 2-4 cm. Central Europe. On Larix, Pinus, Picea''.
  • '''Viscum album subsp. meridianum' (Danser) D.G.Long. Southeastern Asia. Fruit yellow; leaves 3-5 cm. On Acer, Carpinus, Juglans, Prunus, Sorbus''.
  • '''Viscum album subsp. creticum' Böhling et al. has recently been described from eastern Crete (Böhling et al. 2002). Fruit white; leaves short. On Pinus brutia''.
  • '''Viscum album subsp. coloratum' Kom. is treated by the Flora of China as a distinct species Viscum coloratum'' (Kom) Nakai.

    • Mythology and symbolism

    It has always attracted interest and has been surrounded by a number of myths and legends. In some countries it plays a part in Christmas festivities. It also features in the popular Asterix comic books, where mistletoe collected from oaks was considered to have special qualities. Image:Viscum album fruit.jpg|Fruit of subsp. album, Poland Image:Jemioła.jpg|Plant of subsp. austriacum on Pinus sylvestris, Poland Image:Koeh-281.jpg|19th century illustration by Köhler Image:VIscum album fruit kz.jpg

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