Haustorium

Haustoria of creeping mistletoe on a Eucalyptus tree

Multiple Mistletoe haustoria on a dead gum tree

A haustorium (plural: haustoria) is a term in botany. It is a root-like structure which attaches to a tree or other plant host. Fungi and parasitic plants like mistletoe use haustoria to get nutrients from hosts.

Contrast with the term epiphyte, which means "living on". Many other plants live on large trees, but only a few have hausteria.

Haustorium Media

• 

  A coconut sprout, the edible haustorium of germinating coconut seeds