Apodanthaceae

Family Description

Distribution Map


List of Genera

Photographs

Apodanthes

• Apodanthes caseariae (Nickrent 3007) parasitic on Casearia sp., San Isidro, Costa Rica. The only visible part of the parasite are the flowers that emerge directly from the bark of the host tree. Photo by Dan Nickrent.
• This slide of Apodanthes shows flower buds (right), two open flowers (top) and some young fruits (bottom). Notice that the perianth is white whereas the bracts below are yellow. In Pilostyles, there is little differentiation between the perianth and the bracts. The cup-like depressions in the host bark are visible where flowers have fallen off. Photo by Dan Nickrent.
• Apodanthes caseariae. Flowers, Panama. Photo by A. Gentry (no. 28659). Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.
• Apodanthes flacourtiae. Flowers, Panama. Photo by A. Gentry (no. 1445). Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.

Berlinianche

• Berlinianche aethiopica, male flowers emerging from the stem of Brachystegia spiciformis (Fabaceae, Caesalpiniodeae, locally called Msasa). Christmas Pass, Mutare, Zimbabwe. Photos #01, #02, #05 and #08 by Darrel Plowes.
• Berlinianche aethiopica, close-up of female flower showing central column. Christmas Pass, Mutare, Zimbabwe. Photos #03 and #04 by Darrel Plowes.
• Berlinianche aethiopica, female flowers, with a small midge. Christmas Pass, Mutare, Zimbabwe. Photo #06 by Darrel Plowes.
• Berlinianche aethiopica, female flowers, with small hairy Dipterid. Christmas Pass, Mutare, Zimbabwe. Photo #07 by Darrel Plowes.
• Julbernardia globiflora (Fabaceae, Caesalpinioideae, locally called miombo) infected with Berlinianche aethiopica. Christon Bank, Zimbabwe. Photos #09, #10, #11 and #12 by Albert Blarer.

Pilostyles

• Pilostyles hamiltonii.  Photo 1 and photo 2 of unopened buds, parasitic on Daviesia decurrens and D. priessii. Perth metro area, Western Australia.  Photo by Stephen Wylie and Jen McComb, March 2006.
• Pilostyles thurberi. Parasitic on Dalea formosa, Knox Co., TX. These flowers are male and the yellow disk that terminates the column is visible in the center of each flower. Specimen Nickrent 2293. Photo by Ken Robertson.
• Pilostyles thurberi. Parasitic on Dalea formosa, Knox Co., TX. Longitudinal section through host stem and parasite flowers (males). The plant consists of just the small flower (ca. 4 mm high) and the endophytic haustorium that grows in the cambial region of the host. Specimen Nickrent 2293. Photo by Ken Robertson.
• Pilostyles thurberi. Flower buds and buds just beginning to open. Southern CA growing on Psorothamnus emoryi. Photos by Joel McNeal.
  

Phylogeny

The "small-flowered clade" is composed of Apodanthes, Berlinianche, and Pilostyles. Mitochondrial matR and nuclear SSU rDNA data indicate either a relationship with Malvales or Cucurbitales (see BMC Evol. Biol. paper: Nickrent et al. 2004). For now it is placed near Malvales and Cytinaceae, but in reality this remains as the last major "unsolved" relationship among parasitic flowering plants.

References