100 GEissoLOMACE^ (Stephens). [Geissobma. 



South At^RiCA : without locality Burmannl Massonl Thnnhergl Scholl, 615! 

 1128! Munil\ 



Coast Region : Swellendam Dlv. ; in the forest on the mountains at Yoormans- 

 bosch, Ecklon & Zcijlier, 16 ! Zeylier, 3729 ! Riversdale Div. ; Garcks Pass, 

 Burchell, Q%i^\ Phillips, 305! Stephens] ou the Kampsche Berg, near Garcias 

 Pa33, GaJpin^ 4539 ! on the Langcberg Range at Corente River Farm, J/miV, 170 ! 



The bracts of the racemes are either sterile or enclose an axillary bud ; this bud 

 usually remains dormant, but may grow out into another short bracteolate or 

 ^bracteolate peduncle. 



OiiDER CXIX.B. LORANTHACEiE. 



(By T. A. Spraguk.) 



Flowers regular or zygomorphic, hermaplirodite or unisexual, 

 3-6-merous. Cahjx superior, gamosepalous, lobed or truncate, 

 sometimes obsolete. Corolla superior, polypetalous or gamopetalons, 

 petaloid or sepaloid, valvate in bud. Stamens as many ae and 

 opposite the petals or coi'olla-lobes, and inserted on them ; anthers 

 usually 2-celled, sometimes divided into numerous small c<;]ls, ^\'hich 

 may be arranged irregularly {Viscum) or in 2 or 4 vertical rows 

 {Lorantlms). Disc superior, annular, or absent. Ovary inferior, 

 usually without a distinct placenta and ovule ; style simple or 

 absent ; stigma not or hardly lobed. Fruit baccate (in all the 

 African species), crowned by the persistent calyx when the latter 

 is present ; pericarp sticky. Seed solitary, albuminous or exalbu- 

 minous, without a distinct testa ; embryo fairly large, terete or 

 angled, with distinct hypocotyl and 2 (more rarely 3-6) oi)tyledons. 



Chlorophyll-containing shrubs or more rarely herbs, parasitic on other plants ; 

 Tery rarely treea ; leaves opposite, ternate or alternate, simple, entire, exstipulate, 

 sometimes reduced to mere scales or teeth ; inflorescence racemose or cymose ; 

 flowers often large and brightly coloured {Lortutthn^'), or small, greenish and 

 inconspicuous (^Viscuyn), 



DiSTBiG. Genera 27, chiefly tropical and subtropical ; species about 1000. 



T. Loranthus. — Flmvers hermaphrodite. Cahjx present, though sometimes 

 reduced to a small rim. Style long. 



II. Yiscnm. — Flov:ers unisexual. Cahjx obsolete. Style short or none. 



I. LORANTHUS, Linn. 



Flov'ers hermaphrodite. Calyx more or less luhed, or truncate, 

 sometimes very short, occasionally provided inside at the base with 

 a fleshy annular thickening {intrainarr/wal ring). Corolla poly- 

 petalous or, more frequently, gamopetalous, regular or zygomorphic ; 

 tube often split unilaterally for some distance downw^ards when 

 the flower expands. Filaments united in their lower part with the 

 petals ; anthers introrse, not versatile. Style filiform, or gradually 



