The picture below shows clusters of mistletoe growing on a bare tree. mistletoe seeds stick to bark. when the seed germinates, a root-like part digs through the bark into the sap-filled living wood of the tree. the mistletoe absorbs water and nutrients from the sap. mistletoe slows the growth of trees and, in large numbers, may kill the tree. which of the following best explains the relationship between trees and mistletoe? a. trees provide shelter for mistletoe, and mistletoe provides food for the trees. b. trees provide shelter for mistletoe, and mistletoe the trees reproduce. c. mistletoe is a predator that lives on trees by consuming them for food. d. mistletoe is a parasite that lives on trees by taking some of the trees' food and water.