Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades rest in Washington; southern British Columbia to California, east to the Rocky Mountains.

Habitat: Parasitic on Pinus, usually on Pinus contorta.

Flowers: April- June

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Small, glabrous, monoecious shrubs parasitic on the branches of pines, the stems yellow-green, 2-6 cm. long, tufted, the segments 1-2 mm. thick, and 7-15 times as long as thick; assecessory branches whorled.

Leaves none, reduced to small, opposite scales.

Staminate flowers 2 mm. broad, borne on short, lateral stems, 2-several per node, the buds ovoid, the perianth lobes all rounded on the back; pistillate flowers short-pedicillate, 2-several, whorled at each node; perianth parts 2, erect; style lacking; stigma 1.

Berry maturing the second summer, 3 mm. long, 1-seeded, the seed ultimately explosively expelled and tending to stick to the surface on which it lands.