Arceuthobium pusillum
Eastern dwarf mistletoe
Other Facts
Some fun facts about mistletoes in general:
Many years ago druids worshipped this parasitic plant that seemed to grow out of nothing on other trees. The mistletoe was a symbol of strength, peace, and fertility
Legend has it that if two warring armies met under a mistletoe in battle they would through down their arms and embrace their enemy.
The name mistletoe actually means "dung on a twig", which seems appropriate as many mistletoe plants have sprung to life out of a pile of bird droppings.The misteltoe, a very poisonous plant, was used for many years as a miralce drug that was used to treat a variety of alignments from convulsions to epilepsy.
References
"PLANTS Profile for Arceuthobium pusillum." PLANTS Database. 4 April 2009. United States Department of Agriculture. http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ARPU3
"Eastern Dwarf Misteltoe in Coastal Maine Spruce Stands." Maine Forest Service. 4 April 2009. Maine Department of Conservation. http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/alertmis.htm
Watson, David M. "Mistletoe-A Keystone Resource in Forests and Woodlands Worldwide." Annual Review Ecological System 32 (2001):219-249.
Baker,F.A., O'Brien, J.G., Mathiasen, Robert, Ostry, M.E. "Eastern Spruce Dwarf Misteltoe." Forest Insect and Disease Leaflet NA-PR-04-06 (2006):
Hessburg, Paul F., Povak, Nicholas A., Salter, R. Brion, "Thinning and prescribed fire effects on dwarf misteltoe severity in an eastern cacade range dry forest, Washington." Forest Ecology and Management 255 (2008): 2907-2915