Abstract
Viscum capitellatum Sm. (Santalaceae) is reported for the first time from the Koraput district, adding a new record to the flora of Odisha. The species was collected during a floristic survey conducted in November 2025 in the Semiliguda Range of the Koraput Forest Division, where it was observed hyperparasitizing Scurrula cordifolia growing on Mangifera indica. Detailed examination of collected material confirmed its identity as V. capitellatum, a species previously known from Sri Lanka and the southern Indian states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The present record extends its distribution northwards into the Eastern Ghats. The species is a small, evergreen, monoecious, semi-parasitic herb characterised by dense branching, swollen nodes, cylindrical internodes and variably developed leaves that are often reduced to minute scales. Its distinctive cymose inflorescence arise from leaf axils. Male flowers bear two free perianth lobes with sessile stamens, while female flowers possess conical, valvate perianth lobes and an inferior ovary. The smooth green drupes are ellipsoid to ovoid, narrowed below the persistent perianth rim. Present communication provides a comprehensive taxonomic account of V. capitellatum, including its description, diagnostic characters, habitat details, photographs and herbarium documentation (APRFH-204). The new distributional record enhances understanding of the genus Viscum in India and highlights the parasitic diversity of the Eastern Ghats, a region still underexplored for mistletoe flora.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
Viscum capitellatum was newly recorded from Koraput district in Odisha.
- Taxon
- Viscum capitellatumViscum capitellatume0
- Outcome
- reported for the first timee0
- Setting
- Koraput districte0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Viscum capitellatum Sm. (Santalaceae) is reported for the first time from the Koraput district, adding a new record to the flora of Odisha”
Claim · model-written summary
Viscum capitellatum was observed hyperparasitizing Scurrula cordifolia.
- Taxon
- Viscum capitellatumViscum capitellatume0
- Interactor
- Scurrula cordifoliaScurrula cordifoliae1host
- Second interactor
- Mangifera indica
_from_India.jpg?width=60)
Mangifera indicae1host - Outcome
- hyperparasitizing Scurrula cordifoliae1
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
_from_India.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“Viscum capitellatum Sm. (Santalaceae)”
e1“it was observed hyperparasitizing Scurrula cordifolia growing on Mangifera indica”
Claim · model-written summary
The record extends the known Viscum capitellatum distribution northward into the Eastern Ghats.
- Taxon
- Viscum capitellatumViscum capitellatume2
- Outcome
- distribution northwards into the Eastern Ghatse1
- Direction
- extendse1
- Setting
- Eastern Ghatse1
Verbatim
e0“identity as V. capitellatum”
e1“The present record extends its distribution northwards into the Eastern Ghats”
e2“Viscum capitellatum Sm. (Santalaceae)”
Claim · model-written summary
Viscum capitellatum is a small evergreen monoecious semi-parasitic herb with dense branching, swollen nodes, cylindrical internodes, and reduced leaves.
- Taxon
- Viscum capitellatumViscum capitellatume0
- Outcome
- dense branching, swollen nodes, cylindrical internodes and variably developed leaves that are often reduced to minute scalese1
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Viscum capitellatum Sm. (Santalaceae)”
e1“The species is a small, evergreen, monoecious, semi-parasitic herb characterised by dense branching, swollen nodes, cylindrical internodes and variably developed leaves that are often reduced to minute scales”
Claim · model-written summary
Viscum capitellatum has distinctive cymose inflorescences arising from leaf axils.
- Taxon
- Viscum capitellatumViscum capitellatume0
- Outcome
- cymose inflorescence arise from leaf axilse1
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Viscum capitellatum Sm. (Santalaceae)”
e1“Its distinctive cymose inflorescence arise from leaf axils”
Claim · model-written summary
Male Viscum capitellatum flowers have two free perianth lobes and sessile stamens.
- Taxon
- Viscum capitellatumViscum capitellatume0
- Organ / stage
- Male flowerse1
- Outcome
- two free perianth lobes with sessile stamense1
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Viscum capitellatum Sm. (Santalaceae)”
e1“Male flowers bear two free perianth lobes with sessile stamens”
Claim · model-written summary
Female Viscum capitellatum flowers have conical valvate perianth lobes and an inferior ovary.
- Taxon
- Viscum capitellatumViscum capitellatume0
- Organ / stage
- female flowerse1
- Outcome
- conical, valvate perianth lobes and an inferior ovarye1
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Viscum capitellatum Sm. (Santalaceae)”
e1“female flowers possess conical, valvate perianth lobes and an inferior ovary”
Claim · model-written summary
Viscum capitellatum drupes are smooth, green, ellipsoid to ovoid, and narrowed below the persistent perianth rim.
- Taxon
- Viscum capitellatumViscum capitellatume0
- Organ / stage
- drupese1
- Outcome
- smooth green drupes are ellipsoid to ovoid, narrowed below the persistent perianth rime1
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Viscum capitellatum Sm. (Santalaceae)”
e1“The smooth green drupes are ellipsoid to ovoid, narrowed below the persistent perianth rim”