Mistletoe

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• European mistletoe
• Mistletoe

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Stelin album

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. It is further organized under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Santalales, falling into the family Santalaceae. Finally, it is categorized under the genus Viscum, specifically known by the species name Viscum album.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide distribution across several regions of Northern Europe. It can be found growing naturally throughout the country of Denmark. Furthermore, its presence is well-documented across the landscapes of Great Britain and Ireland. The species also extends its reach into the Scandinavian territories of Norway. Finally, it is commonly distributed across the various regions of Sweden.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Viscum album is characterized by its presence in forest habitats, where it thrives as a hemi-parasitic species. It occupies a significant vertical distribution within its environment, ranging from an elevation of 600 m AMSL to a maximum of 2700 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

2700 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

600 m AMSL

Habitat :

forest

Life history

The life history of Viscum album is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist and maintain its parasitic presence within its host species over many years. As a specialized hemiparasite, its growth strategy is defined by its classification as a phanerophyte, specifically manifesting as a phanerophyte in terms of its life form. This means that its regenerative buds are located high above the ground, typically integrated into the branches of its host trees, which ensures its survival and continued development through successive growing seasons.

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Viscum album is characterized by a woody growth form, typically manifesting as a shrub. As an obligatory parasite and an obligatory epiphyte, it establishes itself upon host plants rather than living in a terrestrial habitat. The plant is self-supporting in its structure, functioning as a self-supporting organism rather than a vine or liana. In terms of physical dimensions, it maintains a relatively compact stature with a plant height ranging from a minimum of 0.2 m to a maximum of 1.2 m. Although it thrives in various environments, its ecological classification is strictly terrestrial in nature rather than aquatic or semiaquatic.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Epiphyte :

obligatory

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

obligatory

Plant height max:

1.2 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Viscum album is characterized by its specialized status as a hemi-parasitic plant, utilizing a C3 photosynthetic pathway to facilitate carbon fixation. Despite its parasitic nature, it maintains functional photosynthetic machinery, though its leaf morphology exhibits specific structural adaptations. The leaves typically reach a maximum length of 4 cm, with an average leaf size of approximately 6.6375 cm². Morphologically, the plant is classified as non-carnivorous, relying on its host for water and mineral nutrients rather than capturing prey. Furthermore, its leaf efficiency and structure are reflected in a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 44.9 cm²/g, indicating a specific balance between leaf thickness and surface area optimized for its unique ecological niche.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf length max:

4 cm

Leaf size mean:

6.6375 cm²

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

44.9 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Viscum album is characterized by a sexual process where self-fertilization is absent, necessitating cross-pollination through biotic mechanisms. The pollination syndrome is primarily biotic, specifically involving insects such as flies. The flowering period typically begins in March and concludes in May, though the timing can be variable across different months. Following successful pollination, the plant produces fleshy, indehiscent fruits classified as drupes. These fruits have an average length of 0.83 cm and an average width of 0.75 cm. Within these fruits, the seeds exhibit a consistent seed volume of 34 mm³, with a mean seed mass of approximately 0.1238 g and a maximum mass of 0.23 g. The dispersal of the plant follows a zoochorous strategy, specifically through endozoochory, where seeds are dispersed via the digestive tracts of animals. Asexual reproduction is absent in this species, making sexual reproduction and its specialized dispersal and pollination syndromes essential for its life cycle.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

endozoochorous

Flowering time :

Mar

Flowering time :

May

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length mean:

0.83 cm

Fruit type :

drupe

Fruit width mean:

0.75 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

fly

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Seed mass max:

0.23 g

Seed mass mean:

0.123802333333333 g

Seed volume max:

34 mm³

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Viscum album has 1 reported plant parts identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Planta medica
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Chemicals

Viscum album has 104 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Lectin, Viscotoxin, VT, ARABINOGALACTAN, Eleutheroside E.

Lectin

1. American journal of therapeutics
2. Natural immunity
3. Alternative therapies in health and medicine
4. Experientia
5. The Biochemical journal

Viscotoxin

1. Dr. Duke
2. American journal of therapeutics
3. Alternative therapies in health and medicine
4. Hoppe-Seyler's Zeitschrift fur physiologische Chemie

VT

1. Planta medica
2. Cancer letters
3. Biochimica et biophysica acta

ARABINOGALACTAN

1. Anticancer research
2. Oncology

Eleutheroside E

1. Dr. Duke
2. Oncology

Flavonoids

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

ML1

1. Journal of molecular biology
2. Molekuliarnaia biologiia

OLEANOLIC ACID

1. Dr. Duke
2. Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung. C, Journal of biosciences

Syringin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Oncology

3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (ibmx)

1. The Journal of endocrinology

Activities

Viscum album has 452 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Cytotoxic, Anticancer, Antioxidant, Cytostatic, Immunomodulator.

Cytotoxic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Oncology
3. Hoppe-Seyler's Zeitschrift fur physiologische Chemie
4. Arzneimittel-Forschung
5. Experientia

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. American journal of therapeutics
3. Immunopharmacology and immunotoxicology
4. Oncology
5. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Cytostatic

1. Experientia
2. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
3. Forschende Komplementarmedizin

Immunomodulator

1. Dr. Duke
2. European journal of biochemistry
3. Immunopharmacology and immunotoxicology

Anticarcinogenic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Anti-cancer drugs

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. The Journal of endocrinology

Antihypertensive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antitumor

1. Dr. Duke
2. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Hypotensive

1. Dr. Duke
2. The American journal of Chinese medicine

Conditions

Viscum album has 69 reported investigations on conditions identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include cancer, breast cancer, tumor, breast carcinoma, cardiovascular diseases.

Cancer

1. Anti-cancer drugs
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Natural immunity
4. Arzneimittel-Forschung
5. Scientific reports

Breast cancer

1. Oncology
2. European journal of medical research
3. European journal of cancer (Oxford, England : 1990)
4. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
5. Adverse drug reactions and toxicological reviews

Tumor

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Arzneimittel-Forschung
3. Journal of clinical laboratory analysis
4. Klinische Wochenschrift
5. Cancer biotherapy & radiopharmaceuticals

Breast carcinoma

1. Anticancer research
2. Alternative therapies in health and medicine
3. Immunopharmacology and immunotoxicology
4. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Cardiovascular diseases

1. Extracellular vesicles and circulating nucleic acids
2. PloS one
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Hypertension

1. The American journal of Chinese medicine
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Leukemia

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR
2. Leukemia & lymphoma
3. Cancer letters

Lewis lung carcinoma

1. Oncology
2. Anticancer research

Atherosclerosis

1. The American journal of Chinese medicine
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Epilepsy

1. Seminars in pediatric neurology
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Viscum album has 32 reported preparations identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Iscador, Viscum album extract, extract, Viscum album extracts, extracts.

Iscador

1. Helvetica chirurgica acta
2. Onkologie
3. Journal of experimental & clinical cancer research : CR
4. Laboratory investigation; a journal of technical methods and pathology
5. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Viscum album extract

1. Oncology
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR
3. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
4. Anti-cancer drugs

Extract

1. The Journal of endocrinology
2. Biochemical and biophysical research communications
3. European journal of cancer (Oxford, England : 1990)
4. Journal of gastrointestinal and liver diseases : JGLD

Viscum album extracts

1. International journal of immunopharmacology
2. Cancer biotherapy & radiopharmaceuticals

Extracts

1. Cancer immunology, immunotherapy : CII
2. Arzneimittel-Forschung

Extracts of viscum album (plenosol)

1. Onkologie

Iscador m

1. American journal of therapeutics

Iscador p

1. American journal of therapeutics

Isorel

1. Anti-cancer drugs

Viscum album extract

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR