Exploring Pigeon Valley: Erianthemum dregei (Hairy Mistletoe)
The riches of Pigeon Valley Nature Reserve explained by Glenwood resident and chair of the Friends of Pigeon Valley.
This is the 71st in an ongoing series that highlights the riches of Pigeon Valley, the urban nature reserve in the heart of Glenwood. The focus of this article is on Erianthemum dregei (Hairy Mistletoe).
I think that when English-speakers hear the word ‘mistletoe’ they think of English traditions around it. However, there are many species (around 1 500) of mistletoe around the world, the parasitic plants that grow into a host tree, taking their nutrients from it.
The most common of these in Durban is Hairy Mistletoe, which grows readily on trees like Forest Fever-berry (Croton sylvaticus) or Pigeonwood (Trema orientalis).The fruit of this plant is very sticky; when a bird bites on it the seed often sticks on the side of the bill. The bird typically wipes it off on a branch, where it settles and sends down its roots to reach the sap.
ALSO READ: Exploring Pigeon Valley: The Black Bird-Berry
At present there is a splendid mass of white and pink-orange flowers across Pigeon Valley and in neighbouring areas. These attract insects and in turn many birds, such as Sunbirds and Tinkerbirds. Recent research has shown that, although this is a burden on the tree, having a mistletoe also generates greater leaf litter and bird droppings around the tree, so the host tree gets at least some benefits. One possibly surprising host tree is the invasive alien, the Syringa or Persian Lilac (Melia azederach), a high proportion of which become used as hosts. Some botanists are in fact concerned that the success of this mistletoe may threaten the survival of some tree species.
Crispin Hemson chairs the Friends of Pigeon Valley, a group that undertakes clearing of alien plants, keeps records of bird and mammal sightings and alerts management to any problems.
The Friends have a monthly walk at 7.30am on the second Saturday of each month. Email: friendsofpigeonvalley1@gmail.com.
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