Notothixos Oliv.

Aerial stem-parasitic shrubs, densely velvety tomentose on young parts. Stems much-branched; branches with a pair of prophylls at the base of the first internode and a decussate pair of rudimentary leaves (cataphylls) just above the base. Leaves opposite, petiolate, entire, bifacial, curvinerved, usually with 3 or 5 veins visible on the upper surface. Inflorescences terminal, of 1 or more fan-shaped cymules, these solitary or in a racemose or spicate arrangement; cymules with 3-13 flowers developing successively from the centre outwards, with the central flowers male and the lateral flowers female; bracts small, triangular, in pairs subtending each cymule. Male flowers globose, c. 1 mm in diam., shortly stipitate, usually 4-merous; tepals triangular, valvate; anthers depressed-ovoid or reniform, many-loculate, opening by pores, on a short filament. Female flowers cylindric or barrel-shaped, usually less than 2 mm long, 4-merous; tepals triangular; stigma small, nipple-shaped. Fruit narrowly ellipsoid to almost globose, crowned by the persistent tepals. Fig. 5. Fig. 6. Fig. 7. Fig. 8.

Found mostly in humid closed or open forest; parasitic on dicotyledonous trees, sometimes on other mistletoes.