Loranthus (Henslowia frutescens Champ)

Saturday, April 23, 2011

You notice the leaves are green. It's not a leaf of the plant a large tree, but the leaves of plants that stay alive loranthus. What a pity that big tree, the nutrients absorbed from the soil can not be entirely to photosynthesis
because 
absorbed by the parasite. Yeah ... even though the harm to other plants, but loranthus beneficial to human health.

 
Loranthus (Henslowia  frutescens Champ) is an obligate plant parasites that live in the trunk or branches of other plants. This plant is found in many large trees in the tropics. Loranthus plants reproduce by seed that is spread with the help of birds. Seeds of this plant produces a sticky sap. If the fruit eaten by birds, then bird remove dirt, then the seeds of mistletoe wood will be attached to the branch along with bird droppings. Furthermore, the seeds will live and grow in the branches of the wood.

This herb plant which can live as parasites annual old. Height can reach 30-60 cm. Stalks downy mildew and has a lot of branching, coarse, and brownish green. Loranthus Leaves single, scattered, oval-shaped, asymmetrical, pointed tip and base, the edge of the flat, 5-10 cm long, 3-8 cm wide, leaf bones parallel, slightly rough surface, the color green. Loranthus compound interest, shaped bunches, located in the armpit leaves, has a perfect flower, star-shaped petals, 2-3 mm long, petal color green, the base of the crown form of tubes, loose ends, 2-3 cm long, and white. These plants bear fruit square, round, grooved three, 1-2 cm diameter, surface rough, and green. Seeds are round, hard, 5-8 mm diameter, brown and slimy. The roots of this plant fibers, colored golden brown

All parts of this plant can be used as medical materials, both in fresh condition or after drying. On leaves and stems of this plant contain alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids and tannins are used as anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-swelling.

Efficacy of this plant depends on plant species they occupy, for example loranthus attached to the lemon tree can be used as a herb medicine for thyroid disease, loranthus attached to the tea can be used as anti-cancer drug, loranthus who lived in the branches of the rubber is believed to launch a piss and treat back pain, while loranthus commonly found in other trees can be used to treat measles.

Classification of plants loranthus (according id.wikipedia.org)
Kingdom            : Plantae
Division              : Magnoliophyta
Not included      : Eudicots
Not included      : Core eudicots
Order                : Santalales
Family               : Loranthaceae
General name    : Loranthus or parasite