Structure, etc., of Epiphegus Virginiana. 393 



with the beech-root, so to speak. That is, the attachment to 

 the beech-root occurs some distance above the base, on the 

 side walls of the young Epiphegus. Others form the con- 

 nection directly through their base. Evidently the ovules 

 giving rise to the latter rested above the beech-root and 

 germinated in that position. The seeds must in all proba- 

 bility lie beside the beech-root to form the lateral connection. 

 Two young tubers attached in the same plane on a beech- 

 root, one on either side, have been observed. Mature plants 

 sometimes show the same condition. 



In the one here described the connection was lateral. 

 Near the point of connection the epidermal cells of Epiphegus 

 take on a peculiar darkly colored appearance. At this level 

 the several bundle-masses in the tuber seem to stream across 

 in nearly parallel direction, converging toward the haustorial 

 connection. 



In most cases of parasitism the connection between the 

 two plants is formed by the parasite, that pushes its suckers 

 into the tissue of the host. But in Epiphegus, all indications 

 point to the conclusion that the host sends the "haustorium" 

 into the parasite (Plate XXX, Fig. 2). The appearance in 

 sections through this region is of a number of arms growing 

 from the beech-root into the parasite. The peculiar tissue 

 composing these arms is totally unlike any tissue found 

 either in Fagtts or in Epiphegus, and is found only in the 

 beech-root at the point of union. The growth of this haus- 

 torial organ always occurs at the ends in Epiphegus, not at 

 the end in Fagus. And the beech-root remains very small 

 and fine (Plate XXIX), even when it is attached to a great 

 swollen parasitic tuber of the adult Epiphegus. It certainly 

 seems that this organ of connection arises from the beech 

 and grows into the tissues of the parasite. It will be assumed 

 that this is the case in describing the structure, as it is the 

 easiest method for description. 



Near the point of connection the tissues of the beech- 

 root assume a thoroughly disorganized appearance. The 



