88 



THE ROOT. 



family of Epiphytic plants belongs the Tillandsia, or Long Moss, 

 which, pendent in long and gray tangled clusters or festoons from 

 the branches of the Live-Oak or Long-leaved Pine, gives such a 

 peculiar and sombre aspect to the forests of the warmer ^wrtions 

 of our Southern States. They are called Air-plants, in allusion to 

 the source of their nourishment ; and Epiphytes, from their grow- 

 ing upon other plants, and in contradistinction to 



150. Parasites, that not only grow upon other vegetables, but live 

 at their expense ; which Epiphytes do not. Parasitic plants may 

 be divided into two sorts, viz. : — 1st, those that have green foliage ; 

 and 2d, those that are destitute of green foliage. They may vary 

 also in the degree of parasitism ; some being absolutely dependent 

 upon the foster plant for nourishment, while others, such as the 

 Cursed Fig (Clusia rosea) of Tropical America, often take root in 

 the soil, and thence derive a part of their support. The latter oc- 

 curs only in 



151. Green Parasites, or those furnished with green foliage, or 

 proper digestive organs of their own. These strike their roots 



through the bark and directly into the new wood of the foster 

 plant ; whence they draw the ascending, mostly crude sap, which 



they have to assimilate in 

 their own green leaves. 

 The Mistletoe is the most 

 familiar example of this 

 class. It is always com- 

 pletely parasitic, being at no 

 period connected with the 

 earth ; but the seed germinates upon the trunk or branch of the 



FIG 145. Roots of Gerardia flava ; some of the rootlets attaching themselves parasltically 

 to the root of a Blueberry. (From a drawiog by Mr. J Stauffer ) 

 FIG. 146. Section of one of the attached rootlets, showing the union. 



