1102 SANTALACEAE 



cium a single compound pistil. Ovary 1-celled. Stigma blunt, sometimes 

 sessile. Ovule usually solitary and suspended. Fruit a berry. Seed solitary, 

 with the testa and the copious endosperm indistinguishable. Embryo terete or 

 angled. 



1. PHORADENDRON Nutt. 



Shrubs, parasitic on trees, with jointed terete angled or flattened stems. Leaves oppo- 

 site : blades leathery, flat, sometimes reduced to scales. Spikes axillary or terminal, 

 solitary or several together, each joint furnished with a bract. Flowers very small, mostly 

 dioecious : staminate with a 3-lobed or rarely a 2-5-lobed calyx, one stamen inserted at the 

 base of each petal : anthers 2-celled, broad, opening lengthwise. Pistillate flowers with 

 a corolla like that of the staminate, and an inferior ovary adnate to the hypanthium : 

 style very short, thick : stigma obtuse. Berry subglobose, sessile, often crowned with the 

 persistent sepals, with a pale watery pulp. Seed solitary. Mistletoe. 



1. Phoradendron flav^scens (Pursh) Nutt. A bright green or yellowish parasitic 

 shrub growing in bunches on the limbs of deciduous-leaved trees. Stems 3-9 dm. long, 

 often densely branched : leaves opposite ; blades leathery, spatulate or oblong-spatulate or 

 sometimes oblong, 2.5-5 cm. long, obtuse at the apex, entire, usually cuneately narrowed 

 at the base, obscurely 3-5-nerved, sliort-petioled : petals obtuse, somewhat hooded : berry 

 subglobose, 4-5 mm. in diameter, white, the pulp glutinous : seeds oblong, flattened. 



On various deciduous-leaved trees. New Jersey to Missouri, Florida and Texas. Spring. 



Family 2. SANTALACEAE R. Br. Sandalwood Family. 



Herbs, shrubs or trees, parasitic on the roots of other plants. Leaves op- 

 posite or alternate : blades entire : stipules wanting. Flowers perfect, monoe- 

 cious or dioecious, solitary or clustered. Calyx of 3-6 valvate sepals. Corolla 

 wanting. Androecium of as many stamens as there are sepals, and inserted at 

 their bases or opposite them at the edge of a disk. Filaments distinct. Anthers 

 opening lengthwise. Gynoecium a single compound pistil. Ovary 1-celled, 

 sessile. Style cylindric or conic, sometimes wanting. Stigma capitate or lobed. 

 Ovules 2-4, pendulous from the top of the central placenta. Fruit a drupe or 

 nut. Seed solitary, nearly as thick as long. Testa wanting. Endosperm copi- 

 ous, fleshy. Embryo apical. 



Herbaceous perennials : flowers perfect. 1. Comandra. 

 Shrubs : flowers dioecious or polygamous. 



Staminate flowers in umbels : leaves opposite or nearly so. 



Anthers connected with the sepals by a tuft of hairs. 2. Nestronia. 



Anthers not connected with the sepals. 3. Buckleya. 



Staminate flowers in racemes : leaves alternate. 4. Pykularia. 



1. COMANDRA Nutt. 



Glabrous herbs, perennial by elongated rootstocks, parasitic on the roots of other 

 plants. Stems erect, solitary or clustered. Leaves alternate : blades entire, narrow. 

 Flowers perfect, greenish white, in axillary or terminal peduncled cymes. Calyx of 4-5 

 valvate sepals. Stamens 5 or rarely 4, inserted at the base of the sepals : filaments distinct, 

 alternating with the lobes of the disk : anthers attached to the calyx-lobes by a tuft of hairs. 

 Ovary inferior, 1-celled : style elongated : stigma capitate. Ovules 2-4, pendulous from 

 the end of the placenta. Drupe subglobose, with a thin somewhat fleshy pulp, and a crus- 

 taceous stone, crowned with the persistent calyx. Seed subglobose. Bastard Toad-flax. 



1. Comandra umbellata (L. ) Nutt Foliage bright green. Stems erect, solitary 

 or clustered, leafy, angled, sinjple or branched : leaf-blades oblong, oval or oblong-lanceo- 

 late, 1-3.5 cm. long, obtuse or acute at the apex, entire, sessile, glabrous or minutely 

 pubescent beneath : corymbs 1-3 cm. broad : peduncles slender, glaucescent : calyx short- 

 pedicelled, greenish, about 5 mm. broad ; tube deep green, turbinate ; segments light 

 green, oblong-ovate, 1.5-2 mm. long, acute : stamens inchided : drupe subglobose, almost 

 5 mm. in diameter, slightly ribbed, crowned with the persistent calyx-limb and with it 

 forming an urn-shaped fruit. 



In thickets and on sandy banks, Cape Breton Island to British Columbia, Georgia and California. 

 Sprmg. 



