Abstract
The mistletoe Erianthemum dregei (Eckl. & Zeyh.) V. Tieghem produces a woodrose type haustoriurn on host trees. In some rural areas of southern Africa woodroses are harvested for their unique ornateness and prepared for sale as curios. Concern for the sustainability of mistletoe populations led to this study. Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich.) Hochst hosts were artificially inoculated with hand-excised mistletoe seeds and post-harvest recovery of mistletoes on 12 S. birrea trees were investigated a year after disinfection. E. dregei exhibited 25% germination after 5 days but no seedlings survived a month in the field. Seventy-eight living E. dregei removed in 1994 were replaced one year later by 68 ‘new’ plants probably through resprouting from internal, longitudinal cortical strands which allow for rapid vegetative recovery after removal. Poor seedling establishment and the occurrence of new recruits on branches between 0.0002 to 0.025 m2 cross-sectional area could indicate resprouting rather than recruitment from seed. The growth rates of 22 E dregei woodroses growing on S. birrea were assessed over a 12 month period during 1994/5. These woodroses varied in size from seedlings to individuals with a diameter of 25 cm. Absolute growth rate increased linearly with woodrose size, with most growth occurring during the first 6 months (August–February) relative to the second (February–August). Relative growth rates declined (negative In function) from very high rates for very small woodroses to fairly similar slow rates of growth for all other sizes. Woodroses of diameter 10 cm and 25 cm are typical size classes sold as curios. Using the growth data, it is estimated that woodroses of these sizes are 40 ± 25 (S.D.) and 56 ± 35 years old respectively. These slow rates of growth must be taken into consideration when determining sustainable harvesting limits.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
E. dregei germination reached 25% after five days.
- Taxon
- E. dregei
Erianthemum dregeie0 - Interactor
- Sclerocarya birrea
Sclerocarya birreat0host - Outcome
- germinatione0
- Value
- 25%e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“E. dregei exhibited 25% germination after 5 days but no seedlings survived a month in the field”
t0“Sclerocarya birrea”
Claim · model-written summary
No E. dregei seedlings survived a month in the field.
- Taxon
- E. dregeiErianthemum dregeie0
- Interactor
- Sclerocarya birreaSclerocarya birreat0host
- Outcome
- no seedlings survived a monthe0
- Setting
- fielde0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“E. dregei exhibited 25% germination after 5 days but no seedlings survived a month in the field”
t0“Sclerocarya birrea”
Claim · model-written summary
One year after 78 living E. dregei were removed, 68 new plants appeared, probably by resprouting.
- Taxon
- E. dregeiErianthemum dregeie0
- Interactor
- Sclerocarya birreaSclerocarya birreat0host
- Outcome
- ‘new’ plantse0
- Value
- 68e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Seventy-eight living E. dregei removed in 1994 were replaced one year later by 68 ‘new’ plants probably through resprouting”
t0“Sclerocarya birrea”
Claim · model-written summary
New recruits on branches of the stated sizes may reflect resprouting rather than seed recruitment.
- Taxon
- Erianthemum dregeiErianthemum dregeit0
- Interactor
- Sclerocarya birreaSclerocarya birreat0host
- Outcome
- new recruitse0
- Value
- 0.0002 to 0.025 m2e0
- Qualifier
- resprouting rather than recruitment from seede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the occurrence of new recruits on branches between 0.0002 to 0.025 m2 cross-sectional area could indicate resprouting rather than recruitment from seed”
t0“Erianthemum dregei (Loranthaceae) on Sclerocarya birrea”
Claim · model-written summary
Absolute woodrose growth rate increased linearly with size and was greatest in the first six months.
- Taxon
- Erianthemum dregeiErianthemum dregeit0
- Organ / stage
- woodrosee0
- Interactor
- Sclerocarya birreaSclerocarya birreat0host
- Outcome
- Absolute growth ratee0
- Direction
- increasede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Absolute growth rate increased linearly with woodrose size, with most growth occurring during the first 6 months (August–February) relative to the second (February–August)”
t0“Erianthemum dregei (Loranthaceae) on Sclerocarya birrea”
Claim · model-written summary
Relative growth rates declined with woodrose size.
- Taxon
- Erianthemum dregeiErianthemum dregeit0
- Organ / stage
- woodrosese0
- Interactor
- Sclerocarya birreaSclerocarya birreat0host
- Outcome
- Relative growth ratese0
- Direction
- declinede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Relative growth rates declined (negative In function) from very high rates for very small woodroses to fairly similar slow rates of growth for all other sizes”
t0“Erianthemum dregei (Loranthaceae) on Sclerocarya birrea”
Claim · model-written summary
A 10 cm woodrose was estimated to be 40 ± 25 years old.
- Taxon
- Erianthemum dregeiErianthemum dregeit0
- Interactor
- Sclerocarya birreaSclerocarya birreat0host
- Outcome
- years olde0
- Value
- 40 ± 25 (S.D.)e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“woodroses of these sizes are 40 ± 25 (S.D.) and 56 ± 35 years old respectively”
t0“Erianthemum dregei (Loranthaceae) on Sclerocarya birrea”
Claim · model-written summary
A 25 cm woodrose was estimated to be 56 ± 35 years old.
- Taxon
- Erianthemum dregeiErianthemum dregeit0
- Interactor
- Sclerocarya birreaSclerocarya birreat0host
- Outcome
- years olde0
- Value
- 56 ± 35 yearse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“woodroses of these sizes are 40 ± 25 (S.D.) and 56 ± 35 years old respectively”
t0“Erianthemum dregei (Loranthaceae) on Sclerocarya birrea”
Claim · model-written summary
Slow woodrose growth should inform sustainable harvest limits.
- Taxon
- Erianthemum dregeiErianthemum dregeit0
- Interactor
- Sclerocarya birreaSclerocarya birreat0host
- Outcome
- sustainable harvesting limitse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“These slow rates of growth must be taken into consideration when determining sustainable harvesting limits”
t0“Erianthemum dregei (Loranthaceae) on Sclerocarya birrea”