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

Habitat: Parasitic primarily on Pseudotsuga menziesii, rarely on adjacent Abies and Picea.

Flowers: May-June

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Small, glabrous, monoecious shrubs parasitic on the branches of Pseudotsuga menziesii, the stems greenish or bluish-green, 0.5-3 cm. long, the segments 1 mm. thick and 3- to 6- times as long; accessory branches, when present, in one plane, fan-like.

Leaves none, reduced to small, opposite scales.

Staminate flowers paired at the nodes, terminal on short, pedicle-like joints, greenish-yellow, 2 mm. broad, the perianth parts 3 or 4, fleshy, each bearing a sessile anther; pistillate flowers paired at the nodes, with a short pedicle; ovary inferior; perianth parts 2, erect; style lacking; stigma 1.

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