Cytinus hypocistis

Yellow Zistrosenwürger ( Cytinus Hypocistis )

The Yellow Zistrosenwürger ( Cytinus Hypocistis ) is a plant from the family of Cytinaceae.

Features

The Zistrosenwürger is a parasitic plant, more specifically referred to them as holoparasites, also called full- parasites or full parasites. This refers to vegetable parasites that are no longer able to carry out photosynthesis because they lack chlorophyll. You obtain all necessary nutrients via haustoria from the roots of their host. This kind of parasite on cistus species ( Cistus ). The underground part can be several meters long and runs like a mycelium from the roots of the host plant.

The plant appears above ground only at flowering time of about 2 to 5 cm short fleshy stems. Leaves are really only bracts of inflorescences and no leaves. There are applied to the stems of narrow - ovate scale leaves that are basally yellow towards the tip, but orange to scarlet.

The plants are monoecious getrenntgeschlechtig ( monoecious ). The flowers are up to fifth- tenth densely tufted at the end of the shoot axis. These are surrounded by two bracts. The perianth consists of a tube fused four sepals, apart from the corolla tube four projecting lobes, petals absent. In the male flowers eight stamens are united into a column. The female flowers have an inferior ovary with widespread capitate stigma. As pollinators, ants and birds can be specified. Are formed berries with many small seeds ( less than 0.5 mm). The seeds are eaten by beetles and so endochor spread.

Bloom time is from April to June.

Occurrence

In the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands widespread. As the site dry maquis and Garigues are preferred.