Description: Erect spreading parasitic shrub c. 50 cm tall, stem cracked into white strips when mature, young twigs covered with densely peltate, stipitate, disc-shaped unicellular scales each with 4–8 scattered tooth-like processes, and with scattered dendritic hairs. Prophylls and cataphylls narrow-triangular, acute, less than 1 mm long, the cataphylls c. 1 mm above the base of the internode. Leaf lamina orbicular to broadly elliptic, 2.5–4 x 2.5–3 cm; apex rounded; base attenuate; nerves 3 or 5. Inflorescence a single pedunculate cymule of c. 7 flowers with the central 1–3 male flowers and lateral female flowers; peduncle quadrangular, c. 2 mm long, elongating to c. 6 mm long in fruit. Male flower c. 1.3 mm in diameter; tepals c. 1 mm long. Female flower funnel-shaped, c. 1.7 mm long; tepals c. 0.5 mm long. Fruit narrowly ellipsoid, white, 6–8 x 3 mm.

Thai name: Kafak rak (กาฝากรัก)

Photos: Rachun Pooma, Thammarat Phutthai (Phu Toei, Suphanburi).