Neglected plant parasites: Mitrastemonaceae

Abstract

Mitrastemonaceae are a remarkable family of parasitic flowering plants. The two species that make up this family have a disjunct distribution and a peculiar appearance. Both are devoid of roots, stems, and regular leaves and live inside the roots of their host plants for most of their life cycle. Their white‐pink flowers and berry‐like fruits become visible on the forest floor only during their reproductive phase. This cryptic growth form, allied to their patchy distribution, and the muted color of their flowers have contributed to making Mitrastemonaceae one of the least collected and analyzed families of parasitic plants. On the other hand, recent findings regarding the phylogenetic position of the family have advanced our understanding of the family's biogeography and prompted a reexamination of their ecology and evolution. Here we review key aspects of the life cycle, reproductive ecology, and host relationships in the family Mitrastemonaceae to identify gaps in our current knowledge and instigate future research.

Policy influence 2023: Societal impact at Plants, People, Planet

“…In addition, our unique Flora Obscura series, which specifically aims to highlight extraordinary plant biology, continues to support our aspirations to capture the wider interest of the public. Flora Obscura serve as engaging and timely updates and useful resources for teaching purposes—for instance, see Teixeira‐Costa and Suetsugu's article on Mitrastemonaceae, which is a bizarre family of parasitic flowering plants, or Thorogood et al's article on durian, an edible fruit with a unique odour (Teixeira‐Costa & Suetsugu, 2022; Thorogood et al, 2022).…”

“…From houseplants, to medicinal plants and plant-based diets and the benefits of plants and greenspaces for mental health and well-being, these growing trends provide an attractive springboard for science outreach and plant-focused conversations.We are keen to feature these types of conversations and discussions in the pages of Plants, People, Planet, for instance, and along related lines, we currently seek proposals for a Special Issue devoted to 'Methodologies for investigating plant awareness'.In addition, our unique Flora Obscura series, which specifically aims to highlight extraordinary plant biology, continues to support our aspirations to capture the wider interest of the public. Flora Obscura serve as engaging and timely updates and useful resources for teaching purposes-for instance, see Teixeira-Costa and Suetsugu's article on Mitrastemonaceae, which is a bizarre family of parasitic flowering plants, or Thorogood et al's article on durian, an edible fruit with a unique odour (Teixeira-Costa & Suetsugu, 2022;Thorogood et al, 2022).We are delighted to offer an update on Plants, People, Planet articles that have informed or impacted policy since the publication of Hiscock et al, 2022 (see Table 1). These works will be added to our…”