Viscum rotundifolium

L. f.

Red-berried mistletoe, Round-leaved mistletoe

Santalaceae Edible: Fruit, Stems - tea 1,437 iNaturalist observations

iNaturalist· cc-by

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Summary

Viscum rotundifolium, the red-berry mistletoe, is a variable, wide-ranging and monoecious mistletoe of southern Africa. It is a hardy, evergreen hemiparasite with a catholic variety of host plants, including other mistletoes. It may be found from near sea level to 1,950 m. Its fleshy, leathery leaves are dark or pale green and variable in shape, though usually broadly ovate to elliptic. While its creamy-green flowers are small and inconspicuous, the fruit are a brilliant, shiny orange-red colour when ripe. It is similar to V. schaeferi Engl. & K.Krause and V. pauciflorum L.f. with which it may be confused.

Description

An evergreen shrub that grows attached to other plants. It grows 50 cm high. It is a leafy plant often forming small round clusters. The leaves vary in shape from almost round to narrowly oval. They are 8-12 mm long by 4-8 mm wide. The fruit are bright red berries with a sticky pulp. They are 4-5 mm long.

Edible Uses

The bright red berries are eaten raw, particularly by children. The stems are used to make tea.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten raw. The stems are used for tea.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

The stems are used for tea.

Distribution

It is a subtropical plant. It grows in hot arid places with a marked dry season. It grows between 10-1,950 m above sea level.

Where It Grows

Africa, Angola, Botswana, Central Africa, East Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe,

Other Information

The fruit are eaten especially by children.

Notes

It has also been put in the family Viscaceae.

Synonyms

Viscum bosciae-foetidae DinterViscum glaucum Eckl. & Zeyh.Viscum macowanii Engl.Viscum thymifolium C. Presl.Viscum trichostatum E. Mey. ex Harv.Viscum ziziphi-mucronati Dinter

Also Known As

Haires, Maias, Martak, Oviraura, Veolent

References (4)

De Vynk, J. C., et al, 2016, Indigenous edible plant use by contemporary Khoe-San descendants of South Africa's Cape South Coast. South African Journal of Botany. 102 (2016) 60-69
Ruiters-Welcome, A. K., 2019, Food plants of southern Africa. Ph.D. thesis. Univ. of Johannesburg p 100
World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Welcome, A. K. & Van Wyk, B.-E., 2019, An inventory and analysis of the food plants of southern Africa. South African Journal of Botany 122 (2019) 136–179