Spruce broom rust of the broom. The main damage from the rust is simply overall volume and growth loss. The number of brooms as well as their proximity to the main stem can also play a role in determining the extent of the damage to the tree. "Chrysomyxa arctostaphyli" is an obligate parasite, and as with most other rust fungi diseases, spruce broom rust requires two different host plants to carry out its life cycle and is therefore referred to as heteroecious. The primary or aecial host of the rust is spruce ("Picea" spp.), and the secondary or telia host of the rust
Mimicry in plants Mimicry in plants In evolutionary biology, mimicry in plants is where a plant organism evolves to resemble another organism physically or chemically, increasing the mimic's Darwinian fitness. Mimicry in plants has been studied far less than mimicry in animals, with fewer documented cases and peer-reviewed studies. However, it may provide protection against herbivory, or may deceptively encourage mutualists, like pollinators, to provide a service without offering a reward in return. Types of plant mimicry include Bakerian, where female flowers imitate males of the same species, Dodsonian, where flowers lure pollinators by mimicking another species of flower, Vavilovian, where a weed