CHINQUAPIN The Newsletter of the Southern appalachian Botanical Society Volume 19 (4) 2011 the mistletoe is not clear and is not necessary to justify hanging the Eastern Mistletoe twigs with their white fruits over doorways. This species is dioecious, that is, has unisexual plants so about Mistletoes are parasitic shrubs half of the mistletoes lack fruits. What is not generally known is that that grow on trees. There are the fruiting plants are also in full flower. It takes one year for the several families of mistletoes; they fruits to develop. These are below the flowering branch. But you will reach their greatest diversity in have to look carefully to see them because they are among the small- the tropics where most have large, est flowers of any of our native plants. They are yellowish-green and showy bird-pollinated flowers. only a few mm in size. In the Eastern United States we Unlike its purported role in bringing humans together, we know have only two species with drab very little about what brings mistletoes together. They do not have minute flowers. Dwarf Mistletoe, the structure of wind-pollinated flowers as might be predicted of Arceuthobium pusillum, is north- plants growing in trees. Rather, I think insects play a role in pollina- ern and occurs on black spruce tion as there are tiny nectary-like structures in the flowers. And anal- (Picea mariana). Mature plants ysis of honey from the American South revealed mistletoe pollen in are only a few mm tall. The other Eastern Mistletoe fruits in the winter the honey indicating bees visit the flowers. Few other nectar sources is the very widespead, well-known with white, translucent berry-like would be available to bees in the dead of winter. Eastern Mistletoe, Phoradendron fruits. Like its tropical relatives, Eastern Mistletoe depends on birds for leucarpum, a much larger species growing on a wide array of host the dispersal of its fruit. This undoubtedly explains why there are trees—I have even seen it parasitizing Poison Ivy! often dozens of mistletoe plants in the crown of a tree. Like pol- The scientific name of Eastern Mistletoe means “growing on a lination, we know little about the role of birds in the movement of tree and having white fruits”, an apt description though it has also fruits. Two scenarios have been suggested. The first is that the been known as Phoradendron serotinum and P. flavescens. This mistle- toe is an obligate parasite because it must have a host to survive yet Mistletoe continued to Page 32 it produces most of its own food through photosynthesis, depending on its host for materials car- ried in the water stream. Unlike any other parasitic plant, mistletoes have a long tradition of use at the winter equinox, a custom Europeans brought with them from northern Europe where the European Mistletoe, Viscum album, was venerated by the Dru- ids because it is green and vibrant in the dead of win- ter at a time its deciduous tree hosts have lost their leaves. The stark branches of the oaks and apples and other hosts look dark and lifeless yet in the upper boughs are the heavenward verdant mistletoes. How this imagery plays into the custom of kissing under Mature fruits of Eastern Mistletoe. A heavily infested Silver Maple 26 Chinquapin 19 (4) The Newsletter of the Southern Appalachaian Botanical Society Lytton Musselman, President From The Editor’s Desk: Department of Biological Sciences Big Changes for Castanea J. Dan Pittillo, Newsletter Interim Editor Old Dominion University Our venerable journal, Castanea, has just Norfolk, VA 23529 th We all know the climate is changing, celebrated its 75 year of publication—a (757) 643-3610 memorable event in the life of the journal [email protected] whether brought on by the rapid release of fossil fuels or a process that simply con- and the society. Concurrent with this is a Conley K. McMullen, Past President tinues the cycles of climate change. There complete change in the way Castanea will Department of Biology, MCS 7801 are already signs that our Appalachian be edited and produced. James Madison University Mountain vegetation will be changing for One of the charges I accepted when Harrisonburg, VA 22807 centuries to come, just as it has done in cen- becoming President of the Southern Appa- lachian Botanical Society was how to ensure (540) 568-3805, fax (540) 568-3333 turies past. Hazel and Paul Delcourt have [email protected] that Castanea remains the choice for pub- spent their professional lives reconstructing lishing of papers dealing with the botany Charles N. Horn, Treasurer how these changes have taken in the past of the Eastern United States. While other, Biology Department 50,000 years. Hazel notes we should not competing, journals were rapidly moving to 2100 College Street think that we should attempt to reconstruct online publication we had little to offer. To Newberry College those PreColumbian forests first entered address these concerns, I asked Bob Peet (of Newberry, SC 28108 by the Europeans as they will continue to UNC-Chapel Hill) to chair a committee to (803) 321-5257, fax (803) 321-5636 change in response to the climate changes look into ways to ensure the viability and [email protected] now taking place. If on the otherhand you vitality of Castanea. Michael Held, Membership Secretary would like to see what those PreColumbian After much work, considerable research, Department of Biology folks were like, George Ellison introduces us and a meeting with our publisher a report St. Peter’s College to the best history we have of the Cherokee was prepared for presentation to the SABS Jersey City, NJ 07306 plant lore with his article on James Mooney. Council at our April meeting which was (201) 761-6432 How the Cherokee viewed plants is quite unanimously approved. The report was then [email protected] different from how we do nowadays. presented at our business meeting of the Perhaps no better vision of the relation- SABS membership where it again received Ruth Douglas, Recording Secretary ships of interactive plants is that exemplified unanimous approval. The entire report has 101 Wildflower Drive been posted on our website at http://www. in Litton Musselman articles. He has made Charlottesville, VA 22911 sabs.appstate.edu/ Perusal of this document parasitic plants central to his professional (434) 293-6538 will clearly indicate how much effort Bob life as many readers know. He continues [email protected] put into this. here with the familiar mistletoes, a plant This report is a comprehensive review of John Pascarella, everyone knows about in this upcoming SABS’ functions especially relating to Casta- Editor-in-Chief of Castanea season. How we carried the kissing mythol- nea. In short, SABS will enter a cooperative Associate Dean of Academic and ogy forward from our European cultures is Research Programs publishing agreement with Allen Press, our still a mystery but one not likely to disap- and Professor of Biology current printers. Articles will be reviewed in K-State Olathe pear soon. a much more expeditious manner, be posted 22201 W. Innovation Drive Linda Chafin continues to report on on the Web as soon as possible, allow for Olathe, KS 66061 the plants that all field botanists delight virtually unlimited supplemental material (913) 307-7317, (229) 563-3099 cell in discovering: rare species. Most of these (data sets, images, videos), and much more. [email protected] are plants living beyond our Appalachian A dues increase of a modest $10 was also forests but may have been part of our flora approved at the business meeting. After our Audrey Mellichamp, in some by-gone day. Maybe you will be agreement is formalized more information Managing Editor of Castanea lucky enough to discover some of her de- will be available. This was not a decision 3036 Ventosa Drive that came easily but only after many months Charlotte, NC 28205 scribed plants in your field excursions in the Southeast. of discussions and consultations. Edit- [email protected] ing once handled by our Managing Editor, Alan Weakley is back with us to present Audrey Mellichamp, will now be handled J. Dan Pittillo, more changes in taxonomy that is certainly through Allen Press. One of the reasons Newsletter Interim Editor difficult for us to keep up to date (just 675 Cane Creek Road Castanea is in a condition to make this radi- look at the reference list he gives!). But the cal and much needed change is because of Sylva, NC 28779 service his efforts provides for us is a chance (828) 293-9661 the quality of editing by Audrey. Her careful [email protected] to begin learning how the science is moving attention to all the minutiae of manuscripts the understanding of our plant relationships is a matter of record which will live on in that we have not had before. So, hold on to the trove of papers now available to the these articles and maybe note them in your scientific public. The SABS Council and copies of your manuals. When Alan finally general membership have all expressed their gets his publication in print, maybe it won’t appreciation for her work and for her devo- be such a shock to our minds! tion to our society.—Lytton Musselman The Newsletter of the Southern Appalachaian Botanical Society Chinquapin 19 (4) 27 New Castanea Website to Taxonomic Advisory!: Launch January 3, 2012 Cartrema, Muscadinia, Coleataenia, Asemeia, Polygaloides, We are pleased to announce that Cas- Didymoglossum, Vandenboschia, Crepidomanes? tanea will have a dedicated online journal By Alan Weakley merly treated in Osmanthus section Leiolea web site hosted on the Allen Press Pin- This column will highlight changes at – see Weakley et al.