Parasitic Plants at the Coastal of Setiu, Terengganu: Distribution and Its Association with Host Trees

Parasitic plants have long been perceived as unwanted species due to the habit of destructing their hosts. However, parasite may play a significant roles in determining the species composition in one ecosystem. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify the parasitic plants and their hosts in the coastal forest in Setiu, Terengganu. We recorded seven species of parasites, with Cassytha filiformis was found dominating both sites. The inland site showed a higher species number with seven species, while beach site recorded only three species. Parasitic plants was found infested a total of 21 plant species, and Syzygium zeylanicum was the host tree that highly parasitized.