Full Length Research Paper

A parasitic study of Phragmanthera capitata (Sprengel) S. Balle (Loranthaceae) in the anthropic environments: The case of the Ndogbong chieftain’s compound orchard (Douala, Cameroon)

Dibong Siegfried Didier^1*_, Ndiang Zenabou¹, Mony ruth², Boussim Issaka Joseph³ and Amougou Akoa⁴

¹Département de Biologie des Organismes Végétaux, Faculté des Sciences, B. P. 24157, Université de

Douala, Cameroun.

²Département de Biologie des Organismes Animaux, Faculté des Sciences, B. P. 24157, Université de

Douala, Cameroun.

³Laboratoire de Biologie et d’Ecologie Végétales, Université de Ouagadougou 03 B. P. 848, Ouagadougou 03,

Burkina Faso.

⁴Département de Biologie et Physiologie Végétales, B. P. 812, Université de Yaoundé I, Cameroun.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: didierdibong@yahoo.fr.

Accepted 15  July, 2010

 Abstract

Loranthaceae are parasite plants which represented in Cameroon by 26 species gathered into seven genera. An ecological and flora study consisting in the research on factors bound to parasitism of Phragmanthera capitata (Sprengel) S. Balle had been led at Ndogbong chief’s compound orchard at Douala (Cameroon). A total of 49 woody plants belonging to 11 species, 9 genera and 8 families were identified. Among these species, 10 were exotic and only one, Spondias mangifera Willd. was indigenous host and most infested. Scatterings of P. capitata were observed to be vertical and horizontal. Two types of hosts had been identified: not infested and the infested ones. Three species are not infested and were called resistants: Dacryodes edulis, Manniophyton fulvum and Mangifera indica. Eight were infested species in the orchard and were called sores: Citrus spp., Garcinia cola, Persea americana, Psidium guajava, Theobroma cacao and Spondias mangifera. Resistant species had possessed 15 woody plants (30.61%) and sore species, 34 plants (69.38%). The consequences of the parasitism of P. capitata in the orchard demonstrate the need for establishing comprehensive ecosystem management programs.

Key words: Phragmanthera capitata, biotic factors, human habits, orchard.