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17 
The Host-Plants of Aphyllon fasciculatum. 
By EJ.) AIL. 
The parasitism of this plant has mainly, but not exclusively, 
been fixed upon species of Artemisia. It has been known to grow 
on the roots and buried cuttings of Pelargonium zonale culti- 
vated in pots in greenhouses.* In the “Synoptical Flora of 
North America,” Gray’s ‘Manual of Botany,” and Coulter’s 
“Rocky Mountain Botany,” the host-plants are said to be Arte- 
mista, Eriogonum, etc. What the convenient but tantalizing e¢ 
celteré may cover is hard to tell. It may be facts or guesses to 
gloss over inadequate observations, or some difficulties in tracing 
the connection between the host-plant and parasite. The variety 
luteum, found by Dr. Parry in Wyoming, is, on the above author- 
ities, said to grow on the roots of grasses. In the Botany of the 
Wheeler Survey, Dr. Rothrock mentions only Artemisia frigida, 
Willd. ‘To this we frequently find Aphyllon fasciculatum, T. 
and G., attached, parasitic attachments uniting the roots of the 
two.” +t “ Aphyllon fasciculatum, Gr., Colorado. Attached by 
its rootlets to those of Artemisia frigida.” t Here the connection 
was evidently traced, though the language is hardly accurate, 
since there are no roots or rootlets belonging to Aphy//on, these 
all pertaining to the other member of the couple. Macoun says 
of it, “Parasitic on the roots of Artemtsza on sand hills and prai- 
ries.” § Parry || mentions it growing on “bare granite rocks 
along the upper Minnesota. River,” but does not specify the at- 
tachments to other plants. It would be very interesting to study 
the connection in a locality like this. 
Doubts have been expressed whether the limitations of the 
parasitism to Artemsia is not too restricted. Among these doubts 
some refer to plants growing in Northern Indiana, a few miles 
east of Chicago. This is the only locality where I have found 
this Aphyllon, and under conditions very favorable for observing 
its habits. It was first detected in 1884, and has been frequently | 
* Bull. Torr. Bot. Club, xiv. 220. Bot. Gaz. xii. 235. 
+U.S. Geol. Sur. W. of rooth Merid. vi. 176. $1. c., Dp. S89, 
§ Cat. of Can. Pl., Parts I-III, 373. 
| Geol. Sur. of Wis., Iowa and Minn. (Owen), p. 616. 
“{ Bull. Torr. Bot. Club, xvi. 216, 330. 
