Order Santalales

Order Santalales

Order Santalales includes species like mistletoes, that live as parasites on other plants. As they get the food they need from the host plant, these parasites have reduced leaves and less chlorophyll than plants that make their own food. There are ten families in Santalales, with about 2,000 species. Members of this order represent an evolutionary offshoot which probably developed from the Rose Order (Rosales). The semi-parasite pictured here often has leaves that are mottled with brown. [CH] {EN}