The morphology of some South African mistletoe fruits

In order to gain a clearer understanding of the mistletoe fruit/avian disperser interacting system the morphology of the fruit of Tapinanthus leendertziae (Sprague) Wiens, T. natalitius ssp. zeyheri (Harv.) Wiens and Viscum combreticola Engl. was studied, and observations on some other mistletoe species are included. The external morphology and anatomy of the fruit are described, as well as the functions of each part of the fruit. The difference in exocarp structure between two groups of viscoid species, as well as its possible consequences for dispersal strategies of the respective groups, are discussed. Some differences between the fruit of loranthoid and viscoid species are described, and the ecological and taxonomic implications thereof are discussed. In ’n poging om meer duidelikheid te verkry oor die voëlentvrug/voëlverspreider interaksiesisteem, is die morfologie van die vrugte van Tapinanthus leendertziae (Sprague) Wiens, T. natalitius spp. zeyheri (Harv.) Wiens en Viscum combreticola Engl. bestudeer, terwyl waarnemings in verband met sommige ander voëlentsoorte ook ingesluit is. Die uitwendige morfologie en anatomie word beskryf, asook die funksies van elke onderdeel van die vrugte. Die verskil in die bou van die eksokarp tussen twee groepe viscoïede soorte, asook die moontlike gevolge daarvan vir die verspreidingstrategieë van die onderskeie groepe, word bespreek. Enkele verskille tussen die vrugte van loranthoïede en viscoiede soorte word beskryf en die ekologiese en taksonomiese implikasies daarvan bespreek.