Parasitic Flowering Plants

NEW & Recommended by APS PRESS!

By Henning S. Heide-Jørgensen

Parasitic flowering plants are strikingly impressive and beautiful and hold many surprises of both general and scientific interest. Parasites also have great influence on the quality of human life when attacking crop plants. Some parasites have since early times appealed to our imagination and have been part of religious or folkloristic events and used as gifts to royalties. This beautifully illustrated book covers all parasitic families and most of the genera. It also discusses the establishment of the parasite, the structure and function of the nutrient absorption organ (haustorium), and how the parasites are pollinated and dispersed as well as their ecology, hosts, and evolution. The book is written in a mostly non-technical language and is provided with a glossary and explanatory boxes.

Praise for Parasitic Flowering Plants:

"This book finally places parasitic plants in the position they deserve. The book has a phenomenally broad coverage. It literally bursts with information, yet does so in an accessible fashion; the various boxes and the glossary are a real help to the interested amateur. One of the considerable strengths of the book is the emphasis on ecological connections that are explored and illustrated. We learn about insects, birds, and mammals that have significant roles in the lives of parasites. A most important subject is haustorial structure. It is an essential subject - after all, it is the defining part, the essence of parasitism. But here again, the author has produced a remarkably accessible account and he has stradled the line between popular and academic science very successfully."
-- Job Kuijt, University of Victoria, Canada

"I feel that the author's style gives consideration to both professional scientist as well as private plant lovers."
-- Hans Christian Weber, Philipps Universität, Marburg, Germany

“This beautifully illustrated encyclopedia of parasitic plants gives a fantastic overview of the morphological variety of parasitic plants and describes and illustrates the adaptations that enable plants to be parasitic. The illustrations are magnificent and can only make you admire how nature has created such wonderful creatures almost as if it wants to mask their mal-intentions. In addition to the wonderful illustrations the book reviews important aspects of plant parasitism such as the physiological mechanisms, the ecology and the putative evolution of parasitism in plants. Hence, the book is a rich source of facts and need-to-knows about parasitic plants and therefore will be a valuable handbook for scientists and a fine introduction to parasitism in plants for non-scientists.”
-- Harro J. Bouwmeester, University of Wageningen, The Netherlands

Contents

Preface by Job Kuijt

Author's Preface

Chapter

1: Introduction
    What is a parasitic plant?
    Parasite 'look alikes'
    Types of parasites and some definitions
    The haustorium
    A parasitic gymnosperm
    How many plants are parasitic?
    History of research in parasities

Chapter 2: Hemiparasitic Santalales
    Olacaceae
    Schoepfiaceae
    Opiliaceae
    Loranthaceae
    Misodendraceae
    Eremolepidaceae
    Santalaceae
    Viscaceae
    Summary

Chapter 3: Hemiparasitic families other than Santalales
    Krameriaceae
    Cassytha (Lauraceae)
    Cuscuta (Convolvulaceae)
    Hemiparasitic Orobanchaceae

Chapter 4: Holoparasitic families
    Holoparasitic Orobanchaceae
    Cynomoriaceae
    Lennoaceae
    Mitrastemonaceae
    Apodanthaceae
    Cytinaceae
    Rafflesiaceae
    Hydnoraceae
    Balanophoraceae

Chapter 5: Establishment of the parasite
    Haustorial development
    The mature haustorium
    Physiology

Chapter 6: Host ranges and various ecological aspects of parasitism
    Host specificity
    Host reactions and defence
    Relations to non-host organisms
    Vegetation ecology

Chapter 7: Harmful parasites and control methods
    Parasitic plants in agriculture
    Parasites in forestry and orchards

Chapter 8: Ecology and evolution
    Evolution of parasitism in dicots
    Phylogeny
    Nature conservation

Glossary

Selected literature

List of photographers

Index

2008; hardcover; 442 pages; More than 500 color photographs;(4 pounds); Item No. 67506