Authors : F.N. Mbagwu and K.N. Onuoha
Abstract: The observations on the floral and vegetative morphology on 5 variants of Viscum investigated showed some variations that could be exploited taxonomically. For example, all the 5 variants are characterized by actinomorphic type of symmetry but the inflorescence is cymose in variants A, C, E , raceme in D and solitary in B. Moreso, the inflorescence is free in B and D but fused in variants A, C, E. The seed number per fruit varies from 1-2 in variants A, B, D but from 2-3 in C, E. The fruit type is a berry in A, C, E but drupe in B and D. The vegetative morphology showed that both variants are erect shrubs that are dichotomously branched. The leaf texture is leathery and rough in A but leathery and smooth in others. The leaf shape is obovate in A, ovate in C and E, elliptic in B and lanceolate in D. The differences in floral and vegetative morphology are not enough for absolute delimitation of these variants rather variants A,C,E are more closely related. The similarities in structures showed intervariant relationships and reasons for all to be in the same genus.
F.N. Mbagwu and K.N. Onuoha , 2007. Observations on the Floral and Vegetative Morphology of Five Variants of the Genus Viscum (Loranthaceae) . Agricultural Journal, 2: 709-712.