114 ME. F. W. KEEBLE ON 



and then not swelling up again (as is stated to occur in Viscum album*). The viscin 

 consists of cells which have hroken down to mucilage. These cells are attached to the 

 hase of the seed by a short column of stout cells which project from the base of the endo- 

 sperm. Owing to the connection of the viscid layer with the pulpy part of the fruit- 

 walls, the seed turns a somersault on issuing, and thus the apex issues first ; further 

 squeezing extracts the pulp. Seed 1 cm. long, green or green-brown colour (owing to 

 thin parchment-like layer covering greenish endosperm), ellipsoid, 6-grooved. 



Loranthus capitellatus. — Regarded as a variety of the former species by Thwaites and 

 Sir J. D. Hooker : fruit differs considerably, but very variable, and in some variations 

 approaches that of the former ; but fig. 11, PI. XI., shows well-defined colour and shape 

 considerably different from that of L. loniceroides. Truit, unripe, colour bright red ; 

 ripe, glossy green-black ; tube surmounting body of fruit longer than that of L. loni- 

 ceroides ; seed very similar, but shorter and more spherical. 



X. Gardneri. — ' Elora of British India:' "Emit (young) ellipsoid." I find fruit, 

 almost sessile, unripe huffy colour, ripe red (fig. 7, PI. X.), 8 mm. long, surmounted 

 by narrow rim — the remains of the 5-toothed calyx ; often 4 fruits in coloured bracts 

 (fig. 6, PI. X.), base of fruit 4-5-punctate ; white seeds issue apically ; viscin yellow, 

 watery, very viscid, investing mainly the upper half of the endosperm. Seed : endo- 

 sperm white, head of embryo protruding yellow, because enclosed by viscin ; tough viscin 

 extends considerably above head of embryo ; endosperm affixed to base of fruit by a non- 

 viscid white cup, continuous above with viscin (fig. 7 b, PL X.) ; this viscin prevents basal 

 attachment of seed to host. Embryo (fig. 7 c, d, PL X.), head surrounded by semi- 

 transparent viscin, yellow-green, curved in fruit ; cotyledons fused, bright green, furrowed 

 on one side ; whole embryo very delicate. Endosperm (covered by some yellow viscin) 

 white, like that of a hard-boiled e^g. 



L. suhorbioularis has an oval fruit which, when ripe, is bright red, and its seeds are 

 dumb-bell-shaped and green. In neither this nor in L. tomentoms does the hypocotyl 

 grow to any considerable length. Their germination resembles that of L. Gardneri^ 

 already described. 



L. neelgherrensis. — Eruit, described in Hooker's ' Elora of British India,' " oblong, half 

 an inch : smooth " ; its shape is rather obovate-ovoid (fig. 1 a, PL X.) ; unripe, dark green, 

 smooth ; ripe, bright orange, surmounted by remains of calyx ; seed issues apically on 

 squeezing fruit ; the layer of the fruit-wall surrounding the endosperm consists in the 

 unripe fruit of cells standing at right angles to long axis and rich in resin ; as the fruit 

 ripens this layer becomes less resinous, so that the seed on issuing is covered by a watery, 

 somewhat sticky layer, which turns brovm on exposure to air (fig. 5 a, PL X.). Seed 

 somewhat elliptical, pointed acutely at basal end ; hypocotyl and cotyledons containing 

 much chlorophyll, green ; head of hypocotyl in ripe seed projects just beyond endosperm 

 and presents a pitted appearance, owing to its surface being covered by a great number 

 of minute projecting lobes consisting of groups of cells containing chlorophyll and rich 

 in tannin. 



The embryo is usually not quite symmetrical within the endosperm ; its cotyledons are 



* Ch. Guerin, in Bull. Soc. Linn. Xormandie, 1892. 



