Viscum liquidambaricola Hayata

The plants have medicinal uses and are parasitic on Diospyros kaki, Liquidambar formosana, Vernicia fordii, V. montana, and species of Fagaceae; rarely, they are epiparasitic on species of Viscum.

Shrubs monoecious, often ± erect, green or yellowish green, 30-70 cm tall. Branches opposite and decussate or dichotomous; internodes flattened, lowermost becoming terete, 2-4 cm × 4-6(-8) mm, longitudinally 5-7-ridged. Leaves reduced to pairs of ± scarious scales. Inflorescences axillary, cymes 1-3 together; peduncle ± absent; 3-flowered, central flower female, lateral flowers male; bracts 2, coalescent, forming a navicular involucre, 1.5-2 mm. Male flowers globose in bud, ca. 1 mm; anthers circular. Female flower ellipsoid in bud, 2-2.5 mm; bract cupular or absent; calyx ovoid, 1.5-2 mm; perianth lobes 4, triangular ca. 0.5 mm. Stigma nipple-shaped. Berry reddish and ellipsoid, sometimes yellow and ovoid, 5-7 × 4-5 mm, smooth, base rounded. Fl. and fr. Apr-Dec.

Fujian, S Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, S Shaanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Sikkim, Thailand, Vietnam].

Forests, mountain slopes; 200-2500 m.

Viscum articulatum var. liquidambaricola (Hayata) S. Rao; V. bongariense Hayata; V. querci-morii Hayata.