Parasitic plants are organisms that rely on other plants for nutrients and water. They attach themselves to a host plant using specialized structures called haustoria, which penetrate the host's tissues. This allows them to siphon off essential resources, often harming the host in the process. Common examples of parasitic plants include mistletoe and dodder. These plants can be classified into two main types: hemiparasites and holoparasites. Hemiparasites, like mistletoe, can photosynthesize but still depend on their host for water and nutrients. Holoparasites, such as broomrape, cannot photosynthesize at all and rely entirely on their host for survival.