Parasitic Plants and Their Hosts in Pucak Botanic Garden Maros

South Sulawesi Province

Solikin

Purwodadi Botanic Garden Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Pasuruan East Java Indonesia

Keywords: Diversity, Host, Parasitic pPlant.

Abstract: Parasitic plants live by adhering, absorbing water, minerals and food to host plants. The objective of this

research was to determine the diversity of parasitic plants and their hosts in Pucak Botanic Garden ,Maros

Regency, South Sulawesi Province. The research was conducted in April 2016 using exploration method

in the gardens. The parasitic plants and their hosts were inventoried and observed by purposive sampling

method along tracks during exploration. There were three species of the parasitic plants were found in the

garden namely Scurrula ferruginea (Jack) Dans., Viscum ovalifolium Wall. Ex DC, and Amylotheca

dictyopleba (F.Muell.) Tiegh. The most dominant parasitic plant was Scurrula ferruginea, whereas the least

dominant was V. ovalifolium. There were 4 species, from 4 genera and 4 families of host plants in Pucak

Botanic Garden. There should be a space before of 12-point and after of 30-point.

1 INTRODUCTION

Parasitic plants has been often found on

cultivated and wild plants in gardens. They live and

grow attached to the host plants and absorbing water,

nutrients and food from their hosts so they can inhibit

growth and reducing yield of the hosts. Solikin (2017)

reported that the parasitic plants inhibited growth of

cultivated plants in agrofestry lands in Batam such as

Parkia speciosa, Nephelium lappaceum and

Mangifera indica. Dominantion of the parasitic plants

in natural vegetation have deleterious effects on wild

species, such as Scaevola taccada, Achyranthes

splendens and Lumnitzera racemosa on islands in the

Chagos Archipelago (Indian Ocean) (Nelson, 2008).

Species domination of parasitic plant and their

host were vary depended on location, climate,

vegetation and their ecosystem such as Dendrophtoe

pentandra (L.) Miq. found as the most dominant

parasitic plants in Purwodadi Botanic Garden

(Solikin, 2016) while Cassytha filiformis was the

most dominant parasitic plant in agroforestry lands

in Pemping and Kepala Jeri Islands Batam (Solikin,

2017). Solikin (2015) found four species of parasitic

plants on fruits plants in home gardens in Malang

City, namely Dendrophthoe pentandra (L.) Miq.,

Macrosolen cochinchinensis (Lour.) Teigh., Scurrula

atropurpurea (Bl.) Dans. and S. ferruginea (Jack.)

Dans. Whereas there were five species of parasitic

plants obtained on medicinal plants colection in

Purwodadi Botanic Garden namely D. pentandra, M.

tetragonus, S. atropurpurea, Viscum articlatum

Burm.f. and V. ovalifolium (Solikin, 2014).

Inspite of the parasitic plants are harmfull to the

host plants, they have potential as medicinal plants,

such as V. articulatum being used by the Chinese as

a hypertension drug (Bachhav et al, 2012), anticancer

(Mutha, Shimpi & Jadhav, 2010), diuretic (Jadhav,

Patil & Chaudari, 2010), antioxidant (Kuo et al,

2010), antiulcer (Naganjaneyulu et al, 2011),

antiepileptic (Greetha, Gopal & Murugan, 2010), and

immunomodulatory (Lu et al, 2011). Cassytha

filiformis was used againts gonorrhoe, kidney ailment

and as diuretic in Taiwan (Mythili, Sathiavelu &

Sridharan, 2011), antibacterial action againts

Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Adonu et al, 2013). Some

chemical compounds contained in the parasitic plants

were alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, phenolic

fraction of methanol-water and steroids (Daniel &

Padin, 2012). This research aimed to determine

diversity of parasitic plants and their hosts in Pucak

Botanic Garden Maros South Sulawesi Province.

714

Solikin, .

Parasitic Plants and Their Hosts in Pucak Botanic Garden Maros South Sulawesi Province.

DOI: 10.5220/0009915107140719

In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Recent Innovations (ICRI 2018), pages 714-719

ISBN: 978-989-758-458-9

2 MATERIALS AND METHODS

The research was conducted in April 2016 in

Pucak Botanic Garden, Pucak Village, Tompobulu

District, Maros Residence, South Sulawesi

Province using explorative and descriptive methods.

The garden was situated at altitude of 200 m above

sea level, 119o39’12.74” East and 5o8’50.24”

South (Fig. 1). Data collection of parasitic plants and

their hosts were caried out along tracks during

exploration, Each parasitic plant and its hosts which

were obtained were recorded and identified.

Taking photographs and making herbarium

specimens were conducted to identify plant species

founded. Species and number of parasitic plants

found on the host plants were recorded. Vegetation

analysis to determine Relative Density (RD), Relative

Frequency (FR) and Importance Value Index (IVI) of

the parasitic and hosts plants were modified from

(Indrianto, 2008), Solikin (2016) and Solikin(2017).

3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

3.1 Species of Parasitic Plants

There were three species of the parasitic plants

found in Pucak Botanic Garden namely Amylotheca

dictyopleba (F.Muell.) Tiegh., Scurrula ferruginea

(Jack) Dans. from family of Loranthaceae) and

Viscum ovalifolium Wall. ex DC from the family of

Santalaceae (Table 1). The most dominant parasitic

plant in Pucak Botanic Garden was Scurrula

ferruginea with IVI 97.05 (Table 1).

Fig.1. Location of Puncak Botanic Garden, Tompobulu,

Maros, South Sulawesi.

Fig.2. Viscum ovalifolium Wall. Ex DC.

The existence of V. ovalifolium (Figure 2) in

Pucak Botanic Garden was the least. It was indicated

by its value of RF and IVI was the smallest i.e. 4.5

and 7.05, respectivly (Table 1). This may be caused

by genetic factor (selected for host and type of seed

germination). Solikin (2014) reported that the seed

germination of V. ovalifolium has epigeal type

(cyclament) which cotyledon lifted from the media

surface (bark) during germination The seed

germination was started by elongation of hypocotyl

0.5-2 cm, green from the bark surface of host plant.

There is a round green rounded haustorium ( radical)

at the tip base of hypocotyl.

After the haustorium has attached and penetrated

into the bark, sprout begin to absorb water from the

host plant. The cotyledon was lifted and still tightly

closed by testes and viscins that dry out as the first

leaf grow. This type has high risk for seeds to

drop/remove from the surface of medium when

rainy and dry before growing and developing to be

new plants. Solikin (2015) aslo reported that

Parasitic Plants and Their Hosts in Pucak Botanic Garden Maros South Sulawesi Province

715

population of this parasitic plant in Purwodadi

Botanic Garden was rare. On the other hand,

Scurrula ferruginea (Figure 3) was the most

parasitic plant in Pucak with RF and IVI i.e., 54.55

and 97.05 respectively. This may corresponded to

genetic factor by producing many seeds and it had

hypogeal type seed germination so after the seeds

germinated, they were not easy to remove from the

bark surface. The seed germination was started by

growing of hypocotyl (orobanche) and haustorium

which was penetrated into stem tissues and skin of

the host plant into phloem and xylem tissues. The

hypocotyl did not grow elongated so that the

cotyledon / endosperm along with the plumula was

not lifted from the bark surface of the host stem.

Scurrula ferruginea was believed to have healing

properties such as anticancer, antimicrobial,

antioxidant as well as antihypertensive activities (Lim

et al, 2016) and treating gastrointestinal ailments

(Ameer et al, 2015).

Amylotheca dictyopleba (Figure 4) also dominant

parasitic plant in the garden with IVI 95.91. This

may be caused by the plants characteristic (seed

germination and dispersal) similar to Scurrula

ferruginea. It was often found as a parasite on some

cultivated plants such as Artocarpus heterophyllus,

Citrus spp., Lagerstroemia speciosa and Mangifera

indica. According to information from local people,

Amylotheca dictyopleba (“malacui”) has potential as

a medicinal plant. The local people used the flowers

to cure hepatitis (a handful of the flowers was boiled

into a glass of water till half of glass, then water was

drunk). Name of ‘malacui’ because the flowers were

liked by ‘cui’ bird ( a species of of chili birds) which

was commonly obtained sucking honey in flowers

and

eat fruits of the parasitic plants. It has important role

to disperse the seeds of this parasitic plant.

The occurence of parasitic plants on the cultivated

plants should be controled because they may danger

to the host plants by inhibiting the plant growth and

decreasing fruit and seed production. The parasitic

plants may also as a host of virus plant disease such

as reported by Prota4U (2013) that Cassytha

filiformis was a host for citrus mosaic virus and citrus

yellow corky vein viroid, and has been found to

transmit the virus from one Citrus species to another.

Solikin (2014) also reported that the invasion of

parasitic plants caused death of distal branches of

Cassia fitula until 75.27 % in Purwodadi Botanic

Garden (from 93 branches with the parasitic plant

Dendropthoe pentandra. The population of parasitic

plants will be increase follow the time and increasing

number of species and population of host plants

such as reported by Solikin (2015) that population

of parasitic plant Dendropthoe pentandra and its host

in Purwodadi Botanic Garden increased during 2006

– 2013.

Fig.3. The most dominant parasitic plat Scurrula

ferruginea (Jack) Dans.

Fig 4. Amylotheca dictyopleba (F.Muell.) Tiegh.

3.2 Host Plants

There were 4 species divided into 4 genera and

4 families as hosts of parasitic plants found in

Pucak Botanic Garden namely Baccaurea bracteata

Mull. Arg. ,Citrus nobilis Lour., Lagerstroemia

speciosa (L.) Pers. and Michelia alba DC (Table 2).

The most dominant of host plants was Citrus nobilis

with IVI 131.67. Citrus nobilis was the most

dominant host plant of the parasitic plants in Pucak

Botanic Garden. It was showed in Table 2 that the

RD and RF of this plant was the highest than those

on other host plants i.e. 65.00 and 66.67,

respectively. It may be caused by this plant have

been cultivated in the garden many years ago before

the garden had been established in 2004 (Suprapto et

ICRI 2018 - International Conference Recent Innovation

716

al, 2016). The garden was established as Taman

Wisata Pendidikan before this time which

was managed by Dinas Perkebunan, Dinas

Perikanan, Dinas pertanian, Dinas Peternakan, Dinas

Kehutanan, Dinas Tata Ruang dan Pemukiman,

Dinas Kebudayaan dan Pariwisata. The land was one

of cultivated plants location as part of agroforestry

system so this plant more potential as a host plant

of parasitic plant.

Table 2: Relative density (RD), relative frequency (RF)

andimportant value index (IVI) of hosts of parasitic plants in

Pucak Botanic Garden

C. nobilis is small tree with sporadic branches

and leaves so birds like to perch and disperse seeds

of parasitic plants on it. The occurence of parasitic

plant on family Rutaceae such as on Citrus also

reported by (Solikin, 2013) in Purwodadi Botanic

Garden.

The population of parasitic plants on the other

host plants such as Lagertsromea speciosa, Baccaurea

bracteata, and Michelia alba were low, because the

population of these host plant is low as showed in

Table 3 that the RD of these plant wa 15.00, 17.50

and 2.50, respectively.

The recorded plant collection in Pucak Botanic

Garden were 17 species of shrubs and 50 species of

trees in 2015 (Suprapto et al, 2016). This mean that

the plants was still relatively young for trees

collection (about 5-15 years). These plants have

potential as hosts plant of parasitic plants because

the population growth and development of the

parasitic plants were dynamic depended on time,

species and population of the host plants.

3.3 Parasitic Plant Distribution on

Branches of Host Plants

The parasitic plants commonly were found

sticking on the branches of the host plants where

light can be intercept into leaf canopy fully. Table 3

showed that the parasitic plants were mostly founded

on the-II – IV branches which light can reach the

leaf canopy. There was no parasitic plants found on

the main stem or the main stem . The occurence of

parasitic plants on the host plants commonly was

caused by birds which eated the seeds of the

parasites. The birds obtain nutritional value from

fruits of parasitic plants while the parasites get

benefit by having their seeds dispersed. The

mesocarp of the fruits of parasitic plants contain

nutrients which attractive to the birds. They pearched

and faeced on the branches. The seed was covered by

a sticky viscin that allows the seed to adhere to host

branches. They are not digested in digestive system

and removed together with faeces. The seeds which

dropped and sticked on the branches will germinate

and become new plants.

Positions where the parasitic plants sticked to the

host plants branches were branches II – IV while

on the main stem or main stem was not found the

parasites. This is likely caused by position of the

main stem is upright so it is impossible for birds

perch and also magnitude of water flow on the stem

will release of the seeds attached. The positions may

be depended on the plant habites, age, birds dispersal

and branching type. Solikin (2014) reported that the

parasitic plants can be found on branch VII. All the

parasitic plants founded in Pucak Botanic Garden

was hemiparasite so light is an important factor for

their growing so they commonly obtained on upper

branches where the light can be captured fully by

leaf canopy layer.

The occurence of the parasites on the branches

caused tissues damage and death of the parasitized

branches because of the disruption in the

translocation of water, nutrients and photosynthate to

the particular branches. The distal branches death

of Cassia fistula be caused by presence of the

parasites reach 75.27 % of the 93 branches were

observed (Solikin, 2014).

The branches position where the parasites

most commonly found was on branch II with RD,

RF and IVI , i.e. 32.56, 34.62 and 67.18 respectively

No. Species Family

(%)

IVI

(%)

Baccaurea

bracteata

Mull. Arg.

Phyllantha

ceae

15.00 4.76 19.76

Citrus nobilis

Lour.

Rutaceae 65.00 66.67 131.6

Lagerstroemi

a speciosa

(L.) Pers.

Lytheracea

17.50 23.81 41.31

Michelia

alba DC

Annonacea

2.50 4.76 7.26

Table 3: Distribution of parasitic plants on the stem

of host plant

Position of

branch

RD (%) RF (%) IVI (%)

9.30 7.69 16.99

32.56 34.62 67.18

III

5.58 26.92 52.50

32.56 30.77 63.33

Main stem

0 0 0

Note: RD=Relative density; RF= relative frequency and

IVI= Important value index (IVI)

Parasitic Plants and Their Hosts in Pucak Botanic Garden Maros South Sulawesi Province

717

(Table III). It showed that this branch position is

the most suitable place to growing the parasites. It

is also reported by Solikin (2013) that in this branch

position found most parasitic plants on the family

Rutaceae growing in Purwodadi Botanic Garden.

Domination the parasitic plants on this branch may

be caused by the habites of Citrus nobilis (small

tree) so branch of II or IV where the light can be

captured more.

4 CONCLUSIONS

Scurrula feruginea (Jack) Dans. was the most

dominant parasitic plnats in Pucak Botanic Garden

with IVI 97.05. Citrus nobilis Lour. was the most

dominant host plants of parasitic plant with IVI

131.67.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thanks to The Director of Centre for Plant

Conservation of Botanic Gardens, Indonesian

Institute of Science who gave funding and chance to

conduct floral exploration in Maros Residence, South

Sulawesi Province and Director of Pucak Botanic

Garden and the staffs who helped during the floral

exploration

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