Showy Mistletoe buds
Atkinsonia ligustrina
A rare plant (a maximum geographic range of less than 100 km). Most Australian Mistletoe are parasites on other plants, especially eucalypts. However, Atkinsonia ligustrina is unusual in that it is the only one that is terrestrial, and not epiphytic. It is a hemi–parasite on the roots of neighbouring trees and shrubs: it obtains nutrients from them, but its own leaves make chlorophyll.
Took me ages to work out what this was ... now I understand why.
Showy Mistletoe buds
Atkinsonia ligustrina
A rare plant (a maximum geographic range of less than 100 km). Most Australian Mistletoe are parasites on other plants, especially eucalypts. However, Atkinsonia ligustrina is unusual in that it is the only one that is terrestrial, and not epiphytic. It is a hemi–parasite on the roots of neighbouring trees and shrubs: it obtains nutrients from them, but its own leaves make chlorophyll.
Took me ages to work out what this was ... now I understand why.