Pilostyles thurberi
Encyclopedia
Pilostyles thurberi is a species of flowering plant known by the common name Thurber's stemsucker. It is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it grows in desert and woodland. It is a tiny parasitic plant
, only a few millimeters long, which lives in the stem tissues of its host plants, species of legume
shrub
s, often of genus Psorothamnus
, especially dyebush
(Psorothamnus emoryi). It has no roots, leaves, or chlorophyll
, obtaining its water and nutrients from the host. It grows completely within its host until it blooms, sending tiny flowers through the surface of the host plant. It is dioecious
, with male and female individuals producing one type of flower each. Both types are brown or maroon and no more than 2 millimeters across, appearing as specks on the stem of the host plant. The bloom usually occurs in January, but sometimes as early as November. The female flower swells slightly as the fruit capsule develops within, and each may hold over 100 seeds, which are minute.
Parasitic plant
A parasitic plant is one that derives some or all of its sustenance from another plant. About 4,100 species in approximately 19 families of flowering plants are known. Parasitic plants have a modified root, the haustorium, that penetrates the host plant and connects to the xylem, phloem, or...
, only a few millimeters long, which lives in the stem tissues of its host plants, species of legume
Fabaceae
The Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family, is a large and economically important family of flowering plants. The group is the third largest land plant family, behind only the Orchidaceae and Asteraceae, with 730 genera and over 19,400 species...
shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s, often of genus Psorothamnus
Psorothamnus
Psorothamnus is a genus of plants in the legume family. These are shrubs and small trees. Many are known by the general common name indigo bush. Some are referred to as daleas, as this genus was once included in genus Dalea. These are generally thorny, thickly branched, strongly scented bushes...
, especially dyebush
Psorothamnus emoryi
Psorothamnus emoryi, syn. Dalea emoryi, common names dyebush, white dalea, or Emory's indigo bush, is a perennial legume shrub or subshrub common to the desert mesas of the southern part of the U.S. states of Arizona and California, and regions of the Mexican state of Baja...
(Psorothamnus emoryi). It has no roots, leaves, or chlorophyll
Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in almost all plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. Its name is derived from the Greek words χλωρος, chloros and φύλλον, phyllon . Chlorophyll is an extremely important biomolecule, critical in photosynthesis, which allows plants to obtain energy from light...
, obtaining its water and nutrients from the host. It grows completely within its host until it blooms, sending tiny flowers through the surface of the host plant. It is dioecious
Plant sexuality
Plant sexuality covers the wide variety of sexual reproduction systems found across the plant kingdom. This article describes morphological aspects of sexual reproduction of plants....
, with male and female individuals producing one type of flower each. Both types are brown or maroon and no more than 2 millimeters across, appearing as specks on the stem of the host plant. The bloom usually occurs in January, but sometimes as early as November. The female flower swells slightly as the fruit capsule develops within, and each may hold over 100 seeds, which are minute.