With a Little Help From My Friends: Hyperparasitism Allows a Generalist Mistletoe to Expand Habitat Use

Mistletoes largely vary in the number of species that they can parasitize. In temperate rainforests southern Chile, we found two mistletoe species: Tristerix corymbosus, a generalist able to parasitize at least 30 plant species, and Desmaria mutabilis, which only parasitizes Nothofagus trees (that T. corymbosus is unable parasitize). Nevertheless, some parasitized by corymbosus. How this happening? We D. mutabilis individuals, are parasitizing trees. Such hyperparasitic relationship allows be present Nothofagus-dominated forests, otherwise will not possible. Photo 1. flowering during austral winter Nahuelbuta National Park, Chile. This flowers between March October, being main nectar source for hummingbirds period. credit: Francisco E. Fontúrbel. 2. summer (January) Park. While its period relatively short (about 1 month), intensely visited pollinators, including several kinds insects. 3. pumilio tree. The picture shows late unripe fruits. 4. Several mistletoes an old-growth spp. forest stand 5. A individual, These photographs illustrate article “With little help from my friends: Hyperparasitism expand habitat use” Fontúrbel et al. published Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.3919