mistletoe

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mistletoe

Viscum album ( School Division, Houghton Mifflin Company)

1. A Eurasian parasitic shrub (Viscum album) having leathery evergreen leaves and waxy white berries.
2. Any of several American parasitic shrubs, such as Phoradendron flavescens of eastern North America.
3. A sprig of mistletoe, often used as a Christmas decoration.

[Middle English mistelto, back-formation from Old English misteltān (tān, taken for pl. of tā, toe) : mistel, mistletoe + tān, twig.]

Key Terms: Amenorrhea, Orthostatic, Pharmacognosist, Subcutaneous.

Description

Mistletoe is a parasitic evergreen plant that lives on trees such asoak, elm, fir, and apple. The parasitic plant has yellowish flowers, small yellowish green leaves, and waxy white berries. There are many species of this plant in the Viscacea and Loranthacea plant families. European mistletoe (Viscum album) and American mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum) are used as medical remedies. In addition to Europe and North America, mistletoe is also found in Australia and Korea.

Mistletoe berries are poisonous to cats and other small animals. There is, however, some debate about how toxic the berries are to humans, and there is controversy about whether it is safe to use mistletoe as a remedy. Mistletoe is also known as mystyldene, all-heal, bird lime, golden bough, and devil's fuge.

General Use

Mistletoe is known popularly as the plant sprig that people kiss beneathduring the Christmas season. That custom dates back to pagan times when, according to legend, the plant was thought to inspire passion and increase fertility.

Over the centuries, mistletoe has acquired a reputation asan all-purpose herbal remedy. In the seventeenth century, French herbalistsprescribed mistletoe for nervous disorders, epilepsy, and the spasms known as the St. Vitus dance.

Mistletoe has also been used in folk medicine as a digestive aid, hearttonic, and sedative. It was used to treat arthritis, hysteria and other mentaldisturbances, amenorrhea, wounds, asthma, bed wetting, infection, and to stimulate glands.

For centuries, mistletoe also served as a folk medicine treatment for cancer, and as of early 2005, the plant is sometimes used in Europe to treat tumors. Iscador, an extract of the European mistletoe plant, is said to stimulate the immune system and kill cancer cells. It reportedly reducesthe size of tumors and improves the quality of life. Iscador is one brandname of the mistletoe extract in Europe, and other brand names include Helixorand Eurixor.

Although in alternative medicine mistletoe is viewed as a multipurpose remedy, there is disagreement among medical experts about the safety and effectiveness of this herb. The number of possible interactions with other medications described below indicates that mistletoe should be used with caution.

Preparations

In alternative medicine, the leaves, twigs, and sometimes the berries of mistletoe are used. In Europe, mistletoe remedies range from tea made from mistletoe leaves to injections of Iscador. However, the berries may be poisonous and the herb may cause liver damage.

Since as of 2005 mistletoe has not been tested by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), many experts urge caution until more research is completed.

Home Remedies

Mistletoe tea may be an alternative treatment for conditions that include high blood pressure, asthma, epilepsy, nervousness, diarrhea, andamenorrhea. The tea is prepared by adding 1 tsp (5 g) of finely cut mistletoe to 1 cup (250 ml) of cold water. The solution is steeped at room temperature for 12 hours and then strained.

Mistletoe wine is prepared by mixing 8 tsp (40 g) of the herb into 34oz (1 L) of wine. After three days, the wine can be consumed. Three to fourglasses of medicinal wine may be consumed each day.

Mistletoe must be stored away from light and kept above a drying agent.

Cancer Treatment

Iscador, the European extract, may be injected before surgery for cancers of the cervix, ovary, breast, stomach, colon, and lung. Cancer treatments can take several months to several years. The treatment is given by subcutaneous injection, preferably near the tumor. Iscador may be injected into the tumor, especially tumors of the liver, cervix, or esophagus.

The dosage of Iscador varies according to the patient's age, sex, physical condition, and type of cancer. The treatment usually is given in the morning three to seven days per week. As treatment continues, the dosage may be increased or adjusted.

Advocates of Iscador believe it can stimulate the immune system, kill cancer cells, inhibit the formation of tumors, and extend the survival time of cancer patients. They maintain that mistletoe can help prevent cancer and be complementary to standard medical cancer treatments. They also think that mistletoe could possibly repair the DNA that is decreased by chemotherapy and radiation.

Aids Treatment

Mistletoe extract has been used to combat AIDS, but its efficacy has not been medically confirmed as of 2005.

Precautions

Opinions are sharply divided on how safe and effective the herb is as a home remedy and in the treatment of conditions such as cancer and AIDS. There is controversy about which parts of the plants are poisonous. Although the berries are classified as poisonous in the United States, some sources say that eating berries is only dangerous for babies, and only if handfuls are consumed. Pregnant or breast-feeding women, however, should not use the plant.

According to a report from the Hepatitis Foundation International, mistletoe is toxic to the liver. However, the PDR for Herbal Medicines advises that there are no health hazards when mistletoe is taken properly and in designated therapeutic dosages.

People considering mistletoe should consult with their doctors or practitioners. Until there is definitive proof otherwise, there is a risk that the herbal remedies will conflict with conventional treatment.

Side Effects

Mistletoe may be toxic to the liver. For people diagnosed with hepatitis, use of an herb such as mistletoe may cause additional liver damage. However, advocates of mistletoe maintain it is safe, at least under certain circumstances.

Commercial mistletoe extracts may produce fewer side effects. The bodytemperature may rise and there may be flu-like symptoms. The patient may experience nausea, abdominal pain, and (if given the extract injection) inflammation around the injection sight. Allergy symptoms may result.

Interactions

Mistletoe should not be used by people who take monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor antidepressants such as Nardil. Potential reactions include a dangerous rise in blood pressure and a lowering of blood potassium levels (hypokalemia). In addition, mistletoe may interfere with the action of antidiabetic medications, to increase the activity of diuretics, and to increase the risk of a toxic reaction to aspirin or NSAIDs. Cancer patients considering mistletoe treatment should first consult with their doctors or practitioners.

Resources

Periodicals

Kroz, M., F. Schad, B. Matthes, et al. "Blood and Tissue Eosinophilia, Mistletoe Lectin Antibodies, and Quality of Life in a Breast Cancer Patient Undergoing Intratumoral and Subcutaneous Mistletoe Injection." [in German] Forschende Komplementarmedizin und Klassische Naturheilkunde 9 (June 2002): 160–67.

Maier, G., and H. H. Fiebig. "Absence of Tumor Growth Stimulation in a Panel of Sixteen Human Tumor Cell Lines by Mistletoe Extracts in Vitro." Anticancer Drugs 13 (April 2002): 373–79.

Mengs, U., D. Gothel, and E. Leng-Peschlow. "Mistletoe Extracts Standardized to Mistletoe Lectins in Oncology: Review on Current Status of Preclinical Research." Anticancer Research 22 (May-June 2002): 1399–1407.

Tabiasco, J., et al. "Mistletoe Viscotoxins Increase Natural Killer Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity." European Journal of Biochemistry 269 (May 2002): 2591–2600.

Organizations

American Botanical Council. PO Box 201660, Austin, TX 78720. (512)331-8868. .

Herb Research Foundation. 1007 Pearl St., Suite 200, Boulder, CO 80302. (303)449-2265. .

National Cancer Institute (NCI). NCI Public Inquiries Office, Suite 3036-A, 6116 Executive Boulevard, MSC8322, Bethesda, MD, 20892. (800)422-6237. .

—Liz Swain; Rebecca J. Frey, PhD

The name given to several species of the mistletoe family (Loranthaceae). The true mistletoe of Europe is Viscum album, and among the early nations this was an important ceremonial plant, which probably accounts for the origin of the custom of kissing under the mistletoe. In the United States, the common representative of the group is Phoradendron flavescens. All of the mistletoes are green hemiparasites; that is, they obtain water and minerals from the host plant but manufacture their own food. See also Santalales.

Description

Mistletoe is a parasitic evergreen plant that lives on trees such as oaks, elms, firs, pines, apples, and elms. The parasitic plant has yellowish flowers; small, yellowish green leaves; and waxy, white berries. There are many species of this plant in the Viscacea and Loranthacea plant families. European mistletoe (Viscum album) and American mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum) are used as medical remedies. In addition to Europe and North America, mistletoe is also found in Australia and Korea.

Mistletoe berries are poisonous to cats and other small animals. There is, however, some debate about how toxic the berries are to humans, and there is controversy about whether it is safe to use mistletoe as a remedy. Mistletoe is also known as mystyldene, all-heal, bird lime, golden bough, and devil's fuge.

General Use

Mistletoe is known popularly as the plant sprig that people kiss beneath during the Christmas season. That custom dates back to pagan times when, according to legend, the plant was thought to inspire passion and increase fertility.

In the centuries since then, mistletoe has acquired a reputation as a nearly all-purpose herbal remedy. In the seventeenth century, French herbalists prescribed mistletoe for nervous disorders, epilepsy, and the spasms known as the St. Vitus dance.

Mistletoe has also been used in folk medicine as a digestive aid, heart tonic, and sedative. It was used to treat arthritis, hysteria and other mental disturbances, amenorrhea, wounds, asthma, bed wetting, infection, and to stimulate glands.

For centuries, mistletoe also served as a folk medicine treatment for cancer, and the plant is currently used in Europe to treat tumors. Iscador is an extract of the European mistletoe plant that is said to stimulate the immune system and kill cancer cells. It reportedly reduces the size of tumors and improves the quality of life. One team of researchers in France has found evidence that mistletoe extracts increase the efficiency of the body's natural killer cells in destroying cancer cells. A German study published in 2002 indicates that Iscador does indeed inhibit tumor growth. Another recent German case study of an 80-year-old woman with metastasized breast cancer documented that the patient lived for 41 months after first being given Iscador, with good quality of life. Iscador is one brand name of the mistletoe extract in Europe, and other brand names include Helixor and Eurixor.

Other contemporary uses of mistletoe include treatment of rheumatism, anxiety, migraine headaches, dizziness, high blood pressure, relief of spasms, asthma, rapid heartbeat, diarrhea, hysteria, and amenorrhea. Research continues on the use of mistletoe to treat AIDS patients.

There are some differences among the species. American mistletoe is said to cause a rise in blood pressure, while its European counterpart is believed to lower blood pressure.

Although mistletoe appears to be a multipurpose remedy, there is disagreement among medical experts about the safety and effectiveness of this herb. The number of possible interactions with other medications described below indicates that mistletoe should be used with caution.

Preparations

In alternative medicine, the leaves, twigs, and sometimes the berries of mistletoe are used. In Europe, mistletoe remedies range from tea made from mistletoe leaves to injections of Iscador. While European research indicates that mistletoe is safe and effective, sources in the United States maintain that the berries are poisonous and that the herb can cause liver damage.

Since mistletoe has not been tested by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), many experts urge caution until more research is completed. European research includes work completed by Germany's Commission E, a governmental agency that studies herbal remedies for approval as over-the-counter drugs. An English version of the German Commission E monographs was published in 1997 and was the basis for the 1998 PDR (Physicians'Desk Reference) for Herbal Medicines.

Home Remedies

Mistletoe tea may be taken for high blood pressure, asthma, epilepsy, nervousness, diarrhea, hysteria, whooping cough, amenorrhea, vertiginous attacks, and chorea. The tea is prepared by adding 1 tsp (5 g) of finely cut mistletoe to 1 cup (250 ml) of cold water. The solution is steeped at room temperature for 12 hours and then strained. Up to 12 cups of tea may be consumed each day.

Mistletoe wine is prepared by mixing 8 tsp (40 g) of the herb into 34 oz (1 L) of wine. After three days, the wine can be consumed. Three to four glasses of medicinal wine may be consumed each day.

Mistletoe must be stored away from light and kept above a drying agent.

Cancer Treatment

Iscador, the European extract, may be injected before surgery for cancers of the cervix, ovary, breast, stomach, colon, and lung. Cancer treatments can take several months to several years. The treatment is given by subcutaneous injection, preferably near the tumor. Iscador may be injected into the tumor, especially tumors of the liver, cervix, or esophagus.

The dosage of Iscador varies according to the patient's age, sex, physical condition, and type of cancer. The treatment usually is given in the morning three to seven days per week. As treatment continues, the dosage may be increased or adjusted.

European cancer research has been conducted since the 1960s, and most has involved European mistletoe. However, researchers believe there may be some similar active components in other species. In the United States, some cancer patients may qualify for participation in clinical trials of Iscador.

Advocates of Iscador believe it can stimulate the immune system, kill cancer cells, inhibit the formation of tumors, and extend the survival time of cancer patients. They maintain that mistletoe can help prevent cancer and serve as companion therapy for standard cancer treatments. They also think that mistletoe could possibly repair the DNA that is decreased by chemotherapy and radiation.

In general, however, American researchers are skeptical about European claims regarding mistletoe as an effective cancer remedy. The latest information summary on mistletoe extracts, updated in May 2002 and available from the National Cancer Institute web site, states that "There is no evidence from well-designed clinical trials that mistletoe or any of its components are effective treatments for human cancer."

Aids Treatment

Mistletoe extract has been used to combat AIDS. In 1998 European studies, Iscador injections were used to improve the immune response. Experts reported from early results that when patients were given Iscador, no additional progression of HIV was seen. The combination of Iscador with standard therapy could be potentially beneficial, but more research is needed.

In 1996, the first United States patent was issued for T4GEN, a pharmaceutical version of the mistletoe extract. ABT Global Pharmaceutical of Irvine, California (the patent owner) has developed the synthetic version to be tested and potentially approved as a drug by the FDA. As of summer 2000, there have been no further announcements about T4GEN research.

Precautions

Opinions are sharply divided on how safe and effective the herb is as a home remedy and in the treatment of conditions like cancer and AIDS. There is controversy about which parts of the plants are poisonous. Although the berries are classified as poisonous in the United States, some sources say that eating berries is only dangerous for babies, and only if handfuls are consumed. Pregnant or breast-feeding women, however, should not use the plant.

According to a report from the Hepatitis Foundation International, mistletoe is toxic to the liver. However, the PDR for Herbal Medicines advises that there are no health hazards when mistletoe is taken properly and in designated therapeutic dosages. Other sources state that mistletoe's toxicity could cause cardiac arrest.

People considering mistletoe should consult with their doctor or practitioner. Until there is definitive proof otherwise, there is a risk that the herbal remedies will conflict with conventional treatment.

Herbal experts including Varro Tyler advise against using mistletoe as a beverage or home remedy until more definitive research is completed. Tyler, a respected pharmacognosist, is the coauthor of the 1999 Tyler's Honest Herbal.

Side Effects

Mistletoe may be potentially toxic to the liver. For people diagnosed with hepatitis, use of an herb like mistletoe may cause additional liver damage. However, advocates of mistletoe point out that the herb has been tested in Europe. That research indicated less severe side effects. Mistletoe extracts can produce chills, fever, headache, chest pain, and orthostatic circulatory disorders.

Commercial mistletoe extracts may produce fewer side effects. The body temperature may rise and there may be flu-like symptoms. The patient may experience nausea, abdominal pain, and (if given the extract injection) inflammation around the injection sight. In a slight number of cases, allergy symptoms have resulted.

Interactions

Mistletoe shouldn't be used by people who take monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor antidepressants like Nardil. Potential reactions include a dangerous rise in blood pressure and a lowering of blood potassium levels (hypokalemia). In addition, mistletoe appears to interfere with the action of antidiabetic medications; to increase the activity of diuretics; and to increase the risk of a toxic reaction to aspirin or NSAIDs. Cancer patients considering mistletoe treatment should first consult with their doctor or practitioner.

Resources

Books

Albright, Peter. The Complete Book of Complementary Therapies. Allentown, PA: People's Medical Society, 1997.

The Burton Goldberg Group. Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide. Fife, WA: Future Medicine Publishing, 1995.

Collinge, William. The American Holistic Health Association Complete Guide to Alternative Medicine. New York: Warner Books, 1996.

Gottlieb, Bill. New Choices in Natural Healing. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, Inc., 1995.

Medical Economics Company. PDR for Herbal Medicines. Montvale, NJ: 1998.

Time-Life Books Editors. The Alternative Advisor. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life Books, 1997.

Tyler, Varro, and Steven Foster. Tyler's Honest Herbal. Binghamton, NY: The Haworth Herbal Press, 1999.

Periodicals

Kroz, M., F. Schad, B. Matthes, et al. "Blood and Tissue Eosinophilia, Mistletoe Lectin Antibodies and Quality of Life in a Breast Cancer Patient Undergoing Intratumoral and Subcutaneous Mistletoe Injection." [in German] Forschende Komplementarmedizin und Klassische Naturheilkunde 9 (June 2002): 160-167.

Maier, G., and H. H. Fiebig. "Absence of Tumor Growth Stimulation in a Panel of 16 Human Tumor Cell Lines by Mistletoe Extracts in Vitro." Anticancer Drugs 13 (April 2002): 373-379.

Mengs, U., D. Gothel, and E. Leng-Peschlow. "Mistletoe Extracts Standardized to Mistletoe Lectins in Oncology: Review on Current Status of Preclinical Research." Anti-cancer Research 22 (May-June 2002): 1399-1407.

Tabiasco, J., et al. "Mistletoe Viscotoxins Increase Natural Killer Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity." European Journal of Biochemistry 269 (May 2002): 2591-2600.

Organizations

American Botanical Council. P.O. Box 201660, Austin, TX 78720. (512) 331-8868. http://www.herbalgram.org.

Herb Research Foundation. 1007 Pearl St., Suite 200, Boulder, CO 80302. (303) 449-2265. http://www.herbs.org.

National Cancer Institute (NCI). NCI Public Inquiries Office, Suite 3036-A, 6116 Executive Boulevard, MSC8322, Bethesda, MD, 20892. (800) 422-6237. .

[Article by: Liz Swain; Rebecca J. Frey, PhD]

(click to enlarge)
Leaves and berries of American mistletoe (Phoradendron serotinum) (credit: John H. Gerard)

Any of many species of semiparasitic green plants of the families Loranthaceae and Viscaceae, especially those of the genera Viscum, Phoradendron, and Arceuthobium, all members of the Viscaceae family. V. album, the traditional mistletoe of literature and Christmas celebrations, is found throughout Eurasia. This yellowish evergreen bush (2 – 3 ft, or 0.6 – 0.9 m, long) droops on the branch of a host tree. The thickly crowded, forking branches bear small leathery leaves and yellowish flowers, which produce waxy-white berries containing poisonous pulp. A modified root penetrates the bark of the host tree and forms tubes through which water and nutrients pass from the host to the slow-growing but persistent parasite. The North American counterpart is P. serotinum. Mistletoe was formerly believed to have magical and medicinal powers, and kissing under hanging mistletoe was said to lead inevitably to marriage.

For more information on mistletoe, visit Britannica.com.

The reputation of mistletoe was created by Pliny in his Natural History (AD 77). He wrote that in Gaul the Druids thought it sacred if it grew on an oak (which it rarely does); they believed it protected against injury by fire or water, made farm animals and women fertile, was an antidote to poison, and cured epilepsy. Virtually every herbalist and folklorist to mention mistletoe, from the 16th century to the present, has repeated this information, assuming it to be equally true of Ancient Britons. Many also claim it as the ‘origin’ of the very different English custom of using mistletoe as Christmas decoration.

Yet it is not till 1648 that mistletoe is first listed (by Herrick, in Hesperides, no. 893) among the many evergreens decking churches and homes at Christmas, whereas holly and ivy are well attested in the Middle Ages. In 1656 William Coles noted in The Art of Simpling (p. 41) that it was ‘carried many miles to set up in houses about Christmas time’. It became important in the late 18th century as part—soon, the most valued part—of the elaborate kissing boughs/bushes hung up in farmhouses and kitchens. There were rules as to when it must be taken down, which varied regionally; in some districts (e.g. Staffordshire and Warwickshire) it was given exceptional treatment, being kept till the following year to protect the house from lightning and fire (Drury, 1987:195-6).

Early antiquaries thought all types of Christmas foliage came from that used by ancient Romans at the Saturnalia; however, once mistletoe became especially popular, the more picturesque theory of Druidic origin gained ground. The very influential John Brand claimed it was never used to decorate churches (Brand, 1849: i. 523-4), but recent research has shown he was wrong, at any rate for some regions such as Staffordshire, where churchwardens' accounts record repeated purchases of mistletoe (Hutton, 1996: 37; Drury, 1987:195).

Bibliography
The full bibliography list is available here.

• Susan Drury, Folklore 98 (1987), 194-9
• Opie and Tatem, 1989:253-6
• Vickery, 1995:240-3
• Roud, 2003: 311-12

For the Christmas single by Colbie Caillat, see Mistletoe (song).

For other uses, see Mistletoe (disambiguation).

Mistletoe
European mistletoe attached to a silver birch
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Santalales
Families
Santalaceae (Viscaceae) Loranthaceae Misodendraceae

Mistletoe is the common name for a group of hemi-parasitic plants in the order Santalales that grow attached to and within the branches of a tree or shrub. Parasitism evolved only nine times in the plant kingdom;^[1] of those, the parasitic mistletoe habit has evolved independently five times: Misodendraceae, Loranthaceae, Santalaceae (formerly considered the separate family Eremolepidaceae), and Santalaceae (formerly treated as the separate family Viscaceae). Although Viscaceae and Eremolepidaceae were placed in a broadly-defined Santalaceae by Angiosperm Phylogeny Group 2, DNA data indicates that they evolved independently.^{[citation needed]}

The word 'mistletoe' is of uncertain etymology; it may be related to German Mist, for dung and Tang for branch, since mistletoe can be spread in the feces of birds moving from tree to tree. However, Old English mistel was also used for basil.

European mistletoe, Viscum album, is a poisonous plant that causes acute gastrointestinal problems including stomach pain, and diarrhea along with low pulse.^[2]

Contents 1 Species 2 Life cycle 3 Ecological importance 4 In culture and mythology 4.1 Kissing under mistletoe at Christmas 5 Medicinal uses 6 Other uses 7 References 8 Images 9 External links

Species

The name was originally applied to Viscum album (European Mistletoe, Santalaceae), the only species native in Great Britain and much of Europe. Later the name was further extended to other related species, including Phoradendron serotinum (the Eastern Mistletoe of eastern North America, also Santalaceae). European Mistletoe is readily recognized by its smooth-edged oval evergreen leaves borne in pairs along the woody stem, and waxy white berries in dense clusters of 2 to 6. In America, the Eastern Mistletoe is similar, but has shorter, broader leaves and longer clusters of 10 or more berries. In the United States, Phoradendron flavescens is commercially harvested for Christmas decorations.^{[citation needed]}

The largest family of Mistletoes, Loranthaceae, has 73 genera and over 900 species.^[3] Subtropical and tropical climates have markedly more Mistletoe species; Australia has 85, of which 71 are in Loranthaceae, and 14 in Santalaceae.^[4]

Life cycle

Mistletoe in winter

Mistletoe species grow on a wide range of host trees, and commonly reduce their growth but can kill them with heavy infestation. Viscum album can parasitise more than 200 tree and shrub species. Almost all mistletoes are hemi-parasites, bearing evergreen leaves that do some photosynthesis, and using the host mainly for water and mineral nutrients. However, the mistletoe first sprouts from bird faeces^{[citation needed]} on the trunk of the tree and indeed in its early stages of life takes it nutrients from this source.^{[citation needed]} An exception is the leafless quintral, Tristerix aphyllus, which lives deep inside the sugar-transporting tissue of a spiny cactus, appearing only to show its tubular red flowers.^[5] The genus Arceuthobium (dwarf mistletoe; Santalaceae) has reduced photosynthesis; as an adult, it manufactures only a small proportion of the sugars it needs from its own photosythesis but as a seedling it actively photosynthesizes until a connection to the host is established.

Some species of the largest family, Loranthaceae, have small, insect-pollinated flowers (as with Santalaceae), but others have spectacularly showy, large, bird-pollinated flowers.

Most mistletoe seeds are spread by birds, such as the Mistle Thrush in Europe, the Phainopepla in southwestern North America, and Dicaeum of Asia and Australia. However, distinguishing between this species and ones of other ecological biomes is not difficult. They derive sustenance and agility through eating the fruits and nuts (drupes). The seeds are excreted in their droppings and stick to twigs, or more commonly the bird grips the fruit in its bill, squeezes the sticky coated seed out to the side, and then wipes its bill clean on a suitable branch.^{[citation needed]} The seeds are coated with a sticky material called viscin (containing both cellulosic strands and mucopolysaccharides), which hardens and attaches the seed firmly to its future host.

Ecological importance

Mistletoe was often considered a pest that kills trees and devalues natural habitats, but was recently recognized as an ecological keystone species, an organism that has a disproportionately pervasive influence over its community.^[6] A broad array of animals depend on mistletoe for food, consuming the leaves and young shoots, transferring pollen between plants, and dispersing the sticky seeds. The dense evergreen witches' brooms formed by the dwarf mistletoes (Arceuthobium species) of western North America also make excellent locations for roosting and nesting of the Northern Spotted Owls and the Marbled Murrelets. In Australia the Diamond Firetails and Painted Honeyeaters are recorded as nesting in different mistletoes. This behavior is probably far more widespread than currently recognized; more than 240 species of birds that nest in foliage in Australia have been recorded nesting in mistletoe, representing more than 75% of the resident avifauna.^{[citation needed]}

A study of mistletoe in junipers concluded that more juniper berries sprout in stands where mistletoe is present, as the mistletoe attracts berry-eating birds which also eat juniper berries.^[7] Such interactions lead to dramatic influences on diversity, as areas with greater mistletoe densities support higher diversities of animals. Thus, rather than being a pest, mistletoe can have a positive effect on biodiversity, providing high quality food and habitat for a broad range of animals in forests and woodlands worldwide.

In culture and mythology

European mistletoe, Viscum album, figured prominently in Greek mythology, and is believed to be The Golden Bough of Aeneas, ancestor of the Romans.^[8] The Norse god Baldr was killed with mistletoe.^[9]

Mistletoe postcard, circa 1900

Mistletoe bears fruit at the time of the Winter Solstice, the birth of the new year, and may have been used in solstitial rites in Druidic Britain as a symbol of immortality. In Celtic mythology and in druid rituals, it was considered a remedy for barrenness in animals and an antidote to poison^[10], although the fruits of many mistletoes are actually poisonous if ingested as they contain viscotoxins.

An old Christian tradition said that mistletoe was once a tree and furnished the wood of the Cross. After the Crucifixion, the plant shriveled and became dwarfed to a parasitic vine.[3]

In Romanian traditions, mistletoe (vâsc in Romanian) is considered a source of good fortune. The medical and the supposed magical properties of the plant are still used, especially in rural areas.

A popular myth says that the Mistletoe was cut with a gold sickle and it lost its power if it fell and touched the ground. This is a confusion with the Holly 'holy' Tree, the most sacred tree of the druids (after the Oak) due to both plants being green all year, having colorful fruits and sharing similar history of winter months.^{[citation needed]} Getafix, the druid in the Asterix comics, was often seen up trees collecting Mistletoe, and it was alluded to be an ingredient in his magic potion.

Mistletoe has sometimes been nicknamed the vampire plant because it can probe beneath the tree bark to drain water and minerals, enabling it to survive during a drought.^{[citation needed]} William Shakespeare gives it an unflattering reference in Titus Andronicus, Act II, Scene I: "Overcome with moss and baleful mistletoe".

Mistletoe is commonly used as a Christmas decoration, though such use was rarely alluded to into the 18th century.^[11] Viscum album is used in Europe whereas Phoradendron serotinum is used in North America. According to custom, the mistletoe must not touch the ground between its cutting and its removal as the last of Christmas greens at Candlemas; it may remain hanging through the year, often to preserve the house from lightning or fire, until it was replaced the following Christmas Eve.^[12]. The tradition has spread throughout the English-speaking world but is largely unknown in the rest of Europe. The appearance and nature of the fruit's content (viscin) is very similar to or suggestive of human semen and this has strengthened its pagan connections.^{[citation needed]}

Mistletoe (Phoradendron flavescens) is the state floral emblem for the state of Oklahoma. The state did not have an official flower, leaving the Mistletoe as the assumed state flower until the Oklahoma Rose was designated as such in 2004.^{[citation needed]}

Kissing under mistletoe at Christmas

According to a custom of Christmas cheer, any male and female who meet under a hanging of mistletoe are obliged to kiss. The custom is of Scandinavian origin.^[13] It was the plant of peace in Scandinavian antiquity. If enemies met by chance beneath it in a forest, they laid down their arms and maintained a truce until the next day. This ancient Scandinavian custom led to the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe.^{[citation needed]}

Medicinal uses

Mistletoe leaves and young twigs are used by herbalists, and it is popular in Europe, especially in Germany, for treating circulatory and respiratory system problems.^{[14] [15] [16]} Homeopathically diluted mistletoe was developed by anthroposophical doctors as a cancer treatment and is widely used for this purpose in Europe, generally as an adjunct to other treatment regimens. The importation or medicinal use of injectable mistletoe is not yet permitted by the FDA in the U.S. except for clinical trials. ^[17]

Other uses

The sticky juice of mistletoe berries was used as adhesive to trap small animals or birds. In South Africa it is called "Bird lime" in English and voelent in Afrikaans. A handful of ripe fruits are chewed until sticky, and the mass is then rubbed between the palms of the hands to form long extremely sticky strands which are then coiled around small thin tree branches where birds perch. When a bird lands on this it gets stuck to the branch and is then easy to catch by hand.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. ^ Job Kuijt, Biology of Parasitic Flowering Flants (University of California) 1969.
2. ^ (in English) The Handy Science Answer Book. Barnes and Noble. 1997. 
3. ^ WS Judd, CS Campbell, EA Kellogg, PF Stevens & MJ Donaghue (2002) Plant systematics: a phylogenetic approach. Sinauer Associates, Inc., Sunderland Massachusetts, USA. ISBN 0-87893-403-0
4. ^ B.A. Barlow (1983) A revision of the Viscaceae of Australia. Brunonia 6, 25-58.
5. ^ Susan Milius, "Botany under the Mistletoe" Science News' 158.26/27 (December 2000:412).
6. ^ David M. Watson, "Mistletoe-A Keystone Resource in Forests and Woodlands Worldwide" Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 32 (2001:219-249).
7. ^ Susan Milius, "Mistletoe, of All Things, Helps Juniper Trees" Science News 161.1 (January 2002:6).
8. ^ Virgil (19 BCE) The Aeneid
9. ^ Gylfaginning, XLIX On-line text
10. ^ Pliny the Elder. Natural History. Book XVI. 
11. ^ Susan Drury, "Customs and Beliefs Associated with Christmas Evergreens: A Preliminary Survey" Folklore 98.2 (1987:194-199) p. 194.
12. ^ Drury 1987.
13. ^ E. Cobham Brewer, Dictionary of Phrase and Fable 1898, s.v. "Kissing under the mistletoe" relates the custom to the death of Balder, without authority.
14. ^ Ernst E, Schmit K, Steuer-Vogt MK. Mistletoe for cancer? A systematic review of randomised controlled trials. Int J Cancer 2003;107:262-7, cited in BMJ 2006;333:1293-1294 (23 December)[1]
15. ^ Drug Digest
16. ^ botanical.com - A Modern Herbal | Mistletoe
17. ^ [2] National Cancer Institute

Images

Mistletoe in an apple tree in Essex, England	Mistletoe in an apple tree in Essex, England	Mistletoe bush on a Eucalyptus tree	Mistletoe attached to Eucalyptus host
Mistletoe fruits	The sticky seed of the mistletoe on a branch	Red mistletoe, New Zealand	Mistletoe in San Bernardino Mountains
Mistletoe berries in Wye Valley	Mistletoe in abundance in Wye Valley

External links

Look up mistletoe in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• The Mistletoe Center
• About mistletoe
• Parasitic Plant Connection. See families Misodendraceae, Loranthaceae, Santalaceae, and Viscaceae
• Introduction to Parasitic Flowering Plants by Nickrent & Musselman
• Mistletoe phylogenetics; 2000 WIFDWK pdf by Nickrent
• Encyclopedia of Life Sciences 2001 pdf by Nickrent
• Phoradendron serotinum images at bioimages.vanderbilt.edu
• More Information
• Scientific Studies, Research and Clinical Trials on Mistletoe Treatment in Cancer
• Deck the halls with wild, wonderful mistletoe, West Virginia Department of Agriculture

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
n. - mistelten

Nederlands (Dutch)
maretak

Français (French)
n. - gui

Deutsch (German)
n. - Mistelzweig

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (φυτολ.) γκι, ιξός

Italiano (Italian)
vischio

Português (Portuguese)
n. - erva-de-passarinho (f) (Bot.)

Русский (Russian)
омела белая

Español (Spanish)
n. - muérdago

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - mistel

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
槲寄生

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 槲寄生

한국어 (Korean)
n. - (식물의 일종) 겨우살이

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - ヤドリギ

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) نبات طفيلي‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮דבקון (צמח טפיל), צמח קישוט לחג המולד שנהוג להתנשק מתחתיו‬

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