Author(s):

Suheel Ahmad, Nazim Hamid Mir and Sheikh M Sultan

Abstract: White-berry mistletoe (Viscum album L. subsp. album), is a hemiparasitic plant locally called as ‘banada’, ‘kaw-khoor’ or ‘nal kachud’, occurring specifically on walnut trees and rarely on Populus trees mostly in foot hill areas in Kashmir. In the former host it grows mostly on outer branches of the tree crown while in the later case it often grows directly on the tree trunk. We found heavy mistletoe occurrence specifically on isolated walnut trees, mainly on the outer branch­es of tree crowns. The shrub is used in wound healing, rheumatism and as a laxative in traditional medicine. Farmers in some study areas use it for feeding livestock including cattle and sheep, especially during winters, when no green fodder is available; it attracts farmers and their livestock.

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