5i8 A TEXT-BOOK OF BOTANY. 



of Africa. A gum-resin is found in Grevillea robusta of Aus- 

 tralia, and a tannin in the bark of Louiatia obllqua of Chile. 



A golden-yellow coloring principle is obtained from the flowers 

 of Persoonia saccata of Australia. The wood of Protea grandi- 

 flora of Abyssinia is used in wagon building, and Leucospermum 

 conocarpum of Cape Colony yields a valuable red wood and a 

 tan bark. 



Banskia ccniula of Australia and the sugar-bush (Protea inclli- 

 fera] of Australia and P. speciosa have a sugary cell-sap. The 

 oily seeds of the Chilean hazelnut (Guevina Avellana) are highly 

 prized as food by the inhabitants. The seeds of Brabeium stellati- 

 follum or wild chestnut of Cape Colony are poisonous when fresh, 

 but on roasting they become edible and are used as a substitute 

 for coffee. 



VIII. ORDER SAXTALALES. 



This order embraces a number of families which are quite 

 distinct in several respects. 



a. LORANTHACE^: OR MISTLETOE FAMILY. The 

 plants are half-parasites with well-developed leaves containing 

 chloroplastids. They live on trees by means of haustoria. To 

 this family belongs the American mistletoe (Phoradcndron fla- 

 vescens) , parasitic on oaks, elms, the tupelo (Nyssa), red maple 

 and other deciduous trees. The white, globose berries of this 

 plant are quite poisonous, as are also those of the European mistle- 

 toe (Vise urn album} and the oak mistletoe of Southern Europe 

 (Loranthits curopccus). Viscniu album contains a volatile alka- 

 loid, VISCIXE, a glucoside and a resinous principle. This sub- 

 stance serves to attach the seeds to the barks of trees, where they 

 germinate, and it is used in the manufacture of BIRD-LIME, which 

 owing to its viscid character is used to catch small birds. 



b. SANTALACE^E OR SANDALWOOD FAMILY. 

 The plants are chlorophyllous herbs or shrubs which are common 

 in warm countries, and many of which are parasitic on the roots of 

 other plants. A number of them contain volatile oils, as the wood 

 of various species of Santalum. The official oil of sandal is obtained 

 from the scented wood of the white sandalwood (Santalitin album ) , 

 a small tree growing wild and also cultivated in India and the 



