FIRST HOST RECORD FOR THE ROOT PARASITE Corynaea crassa (BALANOPHORACEAE) Primer registro de la hemiparásita de raíz Corynaea crassa (Balanophoraceae)

Corynaea crassa is a root hemiparasitc plant infrequent in nature. There is little information regarding their natural history, in particular their host range. In this study we dig 32 tubers and followed their parasitized roots to determine the species host. We found Bocconia frutescens (Papaveraceae), Verbesina sp. (Asteraceae), Cayaponia sp. (Cucurbitaceae) y Palicourea sp. (Rubiaceae) as natural hosts of C. crassa. This is the first host record available for C. crassa and provides some bases for its conservation in natural habitats