A biochemical analysis of the fruit of Tapinanthus leendertziae

In order to gain a clearer understanding of the mistletoe fruit/avian disperser interacting system the biochemical composition of the fruit of Tapinanthus leendertziae (Sprague) Wiens was studied. The information reported is the first of this type for any African mistletoe, and the first ever on the disperser-attracting component (the fleshy layer). The water, lipid, protein, fibre, ash. nitrogen-free extract and energy contents, as well as the fresh weight of the fleshy layer and the seed, including the viscin layer, were recorded. The protein and lipid (and thus the energy) contents are relatively high. Comparison with reports in the literature Indicates a possible tendency to higher protein, lipid and energy contents in loranthoid species than In viscoid species. The exocarp accounts for 29% of the dry weight of T. leendertziae fruit, the fleshy layer for 13% and the seed, including the viscin layer, for 58%. Analysis of the fleshy layer showed that aspartic acid was the most abundant amino acid present (20%). The most Important mistletoe disperser in the study area, the yellowfronted tinkerbird, Pogoniutus chrysoconus (Temminck). needs some 172 fruits of T. leendertziae per day to satisfy its energy requirements. The fruit belongs to the ‘specialized’ category of McKey (1975), ecological implications of which are discussed briefly.