mistletoe parasitizes two species of cactus, Echinopsis (=Trichocereus) chilensis and Eulychnia acida

[Dreamwalker.]

OK, sorry I posted this here for an id and ended up discovering a mistletoe, check out the last link , awesome pics of the giants right down to microscopic prints...........(Mod feel free to move to cactus section )

I came across this, I think it is Echinopsis chiloensis,

but the flower is normally white, I think its a sub-species (site was in Spanish and translation wasn't clear). Odd looking form to the flower too. Can attain a height of eight metres.

"There is a sub-species of this cactus: Echinopsis chiloensis (Colla) Friedrich & GDRowley ssp. littoralis (Johow) Lowry. Uses: Folk Medicine. The fruits are edible (Guillaves). thorns were used as needles. With the dry stalks crafts and musical instruments (water stick) is made."

http://museo.florachilena.cl/Niv_tax/Angiospermas/Ordenes/Caryophyllales/Cactaceae/Echinopsis%20chiloensis/Echinopsis%20chiloensis.htm

There's a really odd looking giant with round ball like fruits, "and its plant parasite Tristerix aphyllus ready to swarm. The Echinopsis begins to dry..."...they look like small red fruits?? 3rd pic down...it can't be copied, so you will have to visit the link..worth a visit just to see pics of forest of these giants.

I think the red flowers are the paristite Tristerix aphyllus, never seen any thing like it, Always something new with cacti.

http://www.orchidees.fr/forums/index.php?showtopic=77181

Echinopsis Chiloensis In Situ

OK I've think I've figured it out

"One of the most unusual of all genera and species of Loranthaceae is Tristerix aphyllus. The mistletoe parasitizes two species of cactus, Echinopsis (=Trichocereus) chilensis and Eulychnia acida. The mistletoe seed germinates, forms a radicle whose tip differentiates into an haustorium that attaches to the host epidermis. Tissues of the haustorium then enter the host and grown into an internal endophyte which is the highly reduced vegetative stage of the mistletoe. The inflorescence of the parasite is produced by adventitious buds formed on the endophyte which then grow outward through the tissues of the cactus host. In some cases the inflorescence axes bear small leaves, yet in other cases these leaves are absent. Tristerix aphyllushas been reported to be a nonphotosynthetic holoparasite (Kraus et al. 1995), however, the presence of green tissues in seedling radicles (see photos below) suggest that chlorophyll is present. Moreover, my lab has generated a number of sequences of"

quote and see pic's

http://www.parasiticplants.siu.edu/Loranthaceae/TristerixAphyllus.html

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Edited February 24, 2015 by Dreamwalker.

[solaritea]

The mistletoe parasitizes two species of cactus, Echinopsis (=Trichocereus) chilensis and Eulychnia acida.

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Do you think that the tristerix would be able to parasitize other trichocereus varieties? Does it only go after T. chilensis and E. acida because other trichocereus aren't growing nearby? If I were foolish enough to seek out seeds would I be putting my whole collection at risk or just my chilensis?

[Dreamwalker.]

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Edited July 10, 2014 by Dreamwalker

[Dreamwalker.]

Do you think that the tristerix would be able to parasitize other trichocereus varieties? Does it only go after T. chilensis and E. acida because other trichocereus aren't growing nearby? If I were foolish enough to seek out seeds would I be putting my whole collection at risk or just my chilensis?

I'm guessing you've seen the above post (below now)

Are Eulychnia acida & Trichocereus chilensis the same cactus?

http://www.shaman-au...116#entry471749

So I have the same question, which leads me to think that either they are both Eulychnia's, or they are both trich's.

DNA profiling is really cheap now, so I guess in time the question will be answered, As far as trying the mistletoe on other trich's, if it was to spread to collectors prize hybrids, you may receive death threats LOL...........the mistletoe is a cool looking flower, ideally do it in a controlled environment, and don't allow any bird, especially mocking birds to eat the fruit...