Figure 36.  Phoradendron is a genus of native, North American mistletoes that occur on numerous species of desert shrubs, junipers, cypress, oaks, and other trees; waxy berries are white, pink, or red; and shoots have leaves that are scale-like, small, large, or even long, strap-like. The desert mistletoe shown here is a parasite of mesquite (the large, gray stem and all the green foliage); the mistletoe has bright pink, fleshy berries and dark red stems with inconspicuous leaves. [courtesy B. Geils] BACK