Sarcophyte. | BALANOPHOREE (Harv.) 573 
hiscent ; the seed filling the cavity. Embryo minute, in fleshy or 
friable albumen. 
Fleshy, fungous-like root-parasites, inhabiting the tropics of Asia, Africa and 
America. Leaves reduced to fleshy, coloured scales. ew surrounded by 
bracts, or involucrate or naked. An Order of very doubtful affinity supposed to be 
related to Haloragee and Loranthacee. 
TABLE OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN GENERA. 
I. Mystropetalon.— Flowers moneecious, in dense spikes. 
II. Sarcophyte.—Flowers dicecious ; the males panicled; the females concrete in 
globose heads. 
I. MYSTROPETALON, Harv. 
Flowers moncecious, in dense spikes. Male: perianth tripartite, 
bilabiate, the segments with long claws, spathulate, valvate in wstiva- 
tion, the two posterior connate. Stamens 2, opposite to and inserted 
on the posterior segments of the perianth, conniving ; anthers 2-celled, 
extrorse, opening longitudinally ; pollen cubical. Female: perianth 
epigynous, tubular, 3-toothed. Ovary seated in a cup-like, fleshy dise 
or receptacle, uni-ovulate ; style filiform, exserted, deciduous; stigma 
capitate, 3-lobed. Fruit subtended by the unchanged receptacle, with 
a thin, juicy epicarp and a crustaceous endocarp, 1-seeded, Embryo 
very minute, in the base of easily friable albumen. Harv. in Ann. Nat. 
Hist. 1st ser, vol. 2, p. 386. Griff. in Linn. Trans. 19, p. 336. Hook. f. in 
Linn. Trans, vol. 22, p. 29. + ge 
Root parasites. Stem simple, fleshy, densely imbricated with ep ati, 4" rma 
scales, ending in a dense spike of flowers. Spikes monecious, the female flowers 
occupying the lower, the males the upper part of the spike. Bracts, 3 under each 
flower, 1 anteal, and 2 lateral. The generic name is compounded of pvotpor, 
a@ spoon, and zeraaoy, a petal ; the segments of the perianth are spoon-shaped. 
1. M. Polemanni (Harv. |. c.t.20); anterior bract spathulate, with 
a narrow claw; female perianth tubular. Hook. f. l. c. 
Has. At the Hoouw Hoek Pass, Mrs. Denys (v. v.) : 
Stem about 6 inches high, ? inch in diameter. Bracts orange, the anterior ones 
densely bearded. Flowers bright carmine. 
2. M. Thomii (Harv. 1. c. t. 19); anterior bract broadly-oblong ; female 
perianth swbglobose. Hook.f. l.c. Grif l.c.p.336. Balanophora Capensis, 
L. & Z.! in Herb. . 
"Has. About Caledon Baths, Thom, Ecklon, Polemann! (v. v.) 
‘Stem 6-8 inches high, 3-1 inch in diameter. Anterior bract of nearly equal 
breadth throughout, bearded at the apex and along the prominent keel, orange. 
Flowers a dark, brownish, or dull red. : 
Il. SARCOPHYTE, Sparm. 
_ Flowers dicecious. Male flowers panicled ; perianth 3-lobed, valvate 
in estivation. Stamens 3, opposite the lobes ; filaments free ; anthers 
multilocular. Female flowers in globose heads, densely crowded. Peri- 
anth none. Ovaries seated on a subglobose, common receptacle, becom- 
ing concrete, unilocular. Stigma sessile, peltate. Syncarpiwm globose, 
berry-like. Endl. Gen.714. Griff. in Linn. Trans. t.c. Hook. f. in Linn. 
Transl. ¢. 
