Mistletoe white berries that it bears in clusters of two to six. The Eastern mistletoe of North America is similar, but has shorter, broader leaves and longer clusters of 10 or more berries. The word 'mistletoe' derives from the older form 'mistle' adding the Old English word "tān" (twig). 'Mistle' is common Germanic (Old High German "mistil", Middle High German "mistel", Old English "mistel", Old Norse "mistil"). Further etymology is uncertain, but may be related to the Germanic base for 'mash'. Parasitism has evolved at least 12 times among the vascular plants . Molecular data show the mistletoe habit has evolved
Herbivore adaptations to plant defense P450 oxidases (or P-450), a specific class of MFO, have been specifically connected to detoxification of plant secondary metabolic products. One group linked herbivore feeding on plant material protected by chemical defenses with P-450 detoxification in larval tobacco hornworms. The induction of P-450 after initial nicotine ingestion allowed the larval tobacco hornworms to increase feeding on the toxic plant tissues. An important enzyme produced by herbivorous insects is protease. The protease enzyme is a protein in the gut that helps the insect digest its main source of food: plant tissue. Many types of plants produce protease inhibitors, which inactivate proteases.