292 CUSCUTACEAE. 



404. CUSCUTA. DODDER. 



Leafless annual herbs with yellow or reddish stems twining 

 and parasitic on the plants to which they cling; flowers small, clus- 

 tered; calyx 4- or 5-cleft or of 5 sepals; corolla urn- or bell-shaped, 

 4- or 5-cleft; stamens with a scale-like appendage at the base; 

 ovary 2-celled, 4-ovuled; capsule usually 4-seeded. 



Stigmas filiform; corolla scales crenulate. C. epithymum. 

 Stigmas capitate; corolla scales fringed. 



Capsule pointed; flowers subsessile. C. squamigera. 

 Capsule globose. 



Flowers sessile; style shorter than the ovary. C. arvensis. 



Flowers pedicelled; style as long as the ovary. C. cephalanthi. 



Cuscuta epithymum Murr. Stems very slender, reddish; flowers in dense 

 clusters; calyx 4-5-lobed, the lobes acute; corolla white or pinkish, 4-5-lobed, 

 the lobes erect, acute, persisting on the capsule; scales crenulate, margined. 



Parasitic on clover, thyme and other plants. Introduced from Europe. 



Cuscuta squamigera (Engelm.) Piper. Stems slender, short; flowers 

 3-5 mm. long; calyx-lobes acute; corolla-lobes acute, denticulate, as long as the 

 tube; style not longer than the ovary; capsule pointed. 



On herbaceous plants, in salt marshes. 



Cuscuta arvensis Beyrich. Stems fine, pale yellow; flowers 1.5-2 mm. long, 

 in dense clusters; calyx-lobes obtuse, broad; corolla-lobes ovate-lanceolate, 

 acuminate, slightly longer than the tube; scales large, oval, fringed; seeds 4. 



Parasitic on clover and other low plants; introduced from the eastern states. 



Cuscuta cephalanthi Engelm. Stems coarse, dark yellow; flowers 2 mm. 

 long, on thick pedicels, in loose clusters; calyx-lobes oblong, obtuse, about as 

 long as the tube; corolla-lobes oblong, obtuse, shorter than the tube; scales 

 fringed. 



Parasitic on shrubs or tall herbs; rare in our limits. 



Family 84. POLEMONIACEAE. PHLOX FAMILY. 



Herbs; leaves alternate or opposite, simple or divided, without 

 stipules; flowers regular, perfect, 5-merous, except the pistils; 

 corolla gamopetalous, convolute in the bud; lobes not plaited; 

 stamens epipetalous, alternate with the corolla-lobes, distinct; 

 style 3-lobed; ovary 3-celled; capsule 3-celled, 3-valved, the 

 valves usually breaking away from the triangular central column; 

 seeds few-many; seed-coats when wetted commonly becoming 

 mucilaginous and developing spiricles. 



Calyx distended and at length burst by the capsule. 



Corolla large, salverform; leaves all opposite, en- 

 tire; seeds not becoming mucilaginous when 

 wetted; ours all suffruticose perennials. 405. PHLOX, 293. 



Corolla tubular, funnelform or salverform, usu- 

 ally small; leaves mostly alternate, usually 

 not entire. 406. GILIA, 293. 



