Amyema
Amyema is a genus of semi-parasitic shrubs which occur in Malesia and Australia.
Etymology
Amyema derives from the Greek: a, and myeo, referring to the genus being previously unrecognised.Description
Hamilton & Barlow describe the haustorial structures of most Australian Amyemas as being ball-like, with some exceptions.Species
There are approximately 90 species including the following:Amyema arthrocaulis BarlowAmyema artensis Dan. Amyema benthamii DanserAmyema betchei DanserAmyema bifurcata Tiegh.Amyema biniflora BarlowAmyema brassii Barlow Amyema brevipes Danser Amyema cambagei DanserAmyema congener Tiegh.Amyema conspicua DanserAmyema dolichopoda BarlowAmyema duurenii BarlowAmyema eburna BarlowAmyema fitzgeraldii Danser - pincushion mistletoe Amyema gaudichaudii Tiegh.Amyema gibberula DanserAmyema glabra DanserAmyema haematodes DanserAmyema herbertiana BarlowAmyema hilliana DanserAmyema linophylla Tiegh.Amyema lisae Pelser & BarcelonaAmyema lucasii Danser Amyema mackayensis DanserAmyema maidenii Barlow Amyema melaleucae Tiegh. Amyema microphylla Barlow Amyema miquelii Tiegh. - stalked mistletoe Amyema miraculosa Tiegh. Amyema nestor Danser- Amyema nickrentii Barcelona & PelserAmyema pendula Tiegh. - drooping mistletoeAmyema plicatula DanserAmyema preissii Tiegh. - wireleaf mistletoe Amyema quandang Tiegh. Amyema quaternifolia Barlow Amyema queenslandica Danser Amyema sanguinea DanserAmyema seemeniana Danser Amyema subcapitata Barlow Amyema tetraflora Barlow Amyema tetrapetala BarlowAmyema thalassia Barlow Amyema tridactyla Barlow Amyema tristis Tiegh. Amyema verticillata Danser Amyema villiflora Barlow Amyema whitei Danser
Faunal associations
The mistletoebird is known to consume the fruit of Amyema quandang as well as other mistletoe species from which its name is derived.Larvae of the butterfly genus Delias often use various Amyema species as larval food plants. In doing so, the adults acquire a taste that is unpalatable to predators.