Viscum combreticola, the Combretum mistletoe, is a leafless, dioecious mistletoe shrub,[1] occurring from southern to tropical Africa, in a broad zone following the Rift Valleys.[2] Though it is typically a hemiparasite of Combretum species, it may also be found on Terminalia (Combretaceae), Acacia, Croton, Diplorhynchus, Dombeya, Heteropyxis, Maytenus, Melia, Strychnos or Vangueria.[3]
The much-branched twigs are flattened, ribbed and divided into clear segments.[4] The brittle olive to olive-green segments exude a watery sap when broken. Their sessile fruit, usually in pairs, grow from the segment joints.[4] They are ellipsoid berries of 6-7 mm in diameter, that are warty when young[3] but smooth and orange when ripe.[1]
The species is vegetatively similar to V. anceps and artificially resembles the Asian species V. dichotomum.[3] Male inflorescences and fruit are required to separate it from V. shirense and V. cylindricum.[1]