Mistletoes and their diversity in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Uganda, hosts a remarkably high diversity and density of mistletoes, with estimates suggesting the forest may contain over 40 species—more than ten percent of Africa's known mistletoe taxa. This study recorded 21 mistletoe species across 64 plots spanning elevations from 1160 to 2607 meters, revealing that mistletoes are significantly more abundant in open (forest-edge) conditions (356 ha⁻¹) than in closed (forest-interior) areas (129 ha⁻¹). Englerina woodfordioides and Viscum fischeri were the most prevalent species, while Harungana madagascariensis and Maesa lanceolata hosted the highest diversity of mistletoes. The findings highlight Bwindi's exceptional botanical richness, with mistletoes playing a substantial ecological role in this equatorial African forest.

Emilly Kamusiime, & Douglas Sheil. (2021). Mistletoes and their diversity in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. GSC Advanced Research and Reviews, 7(2), 042–050. https://doi.org/10.30574/gscarr.2021.7.2.0080