THE LORANTHACE,^ OF CEYLOX. 315 



of iirioqual size and fused except at the tips, the line of fusion ])eini^ indicated on tluMr 

 surface by a linear depression, llypocotyl just below hejid is oval in section, wliilst a 

 section throuiifli the head shows a splieric-al sliape, though projectins:^ all round from the 

 surface are the small lobes. Two embryos arc occasionally developed in one fruit, as 

 is sometimes the case with Viscum album. 



Loranthus euneatus. — The fruit and seed closely resemble those of L. iwelghei^retms, 

 already described. Fruit is smaller than in that species, 1 cm. loni^. ; shape, ' Flora of 

 British India ' says, " oblong," but rather that indicated in fig. 2, PI. XT., dull rose-coloured 

 at base, green above, apex irregularly lobed ; seeds issue basally, enclosed chiefly toward 

 the root-end in watery whitish viscin ; seed flask-shaped, broad end basal, apittil end 

 covered with a more sticky substsmce in the form of five horns ; seed rosy-red 

 beloAV, yellow above owing to the viscid covering just mentioned. On separating these 

 viscid horns the minute head of the hypocotyl appears just projecting from the green 

 endosperm. 



The embryo is small, green ; cotyledons fused. 



The mode of germination so closely resembles that of L. neelgherrensis that no 

 description need be given. 



L. longijlorus. — Two varieties grow in Ceylon, the normal and var. amplexifolia. The 

 difTerence is mainly one of leaves, no distinction in fruit, seed, or mode of germination, so 

 that one description will suffice. The fruits are large, 2 cm. oblong, bright red when 

 ripe (fig. 12, PI. X.), green unripe ; fruit-coat very thick, tough ; seeds issue apically, 

 embedded in yellow viscid matter, which takes the form apically of 5-0 viscid elastic 

 horns (fig. 13, PI. X.). If in an unripe seed a circular cap be cut off the fruit, as 

 in fig. 16, PI. X., the horns are found already formed and projecting into as many 

 compartments of the fruit-coat. At the time of ripening these horns break down, 

 becoming more watery ; the basal surface of the seed has no sticky stuff attached to it, 

 but presents a dry white appearance. Endosperm hard, whitish yellow ; surface brown, 

 owing to drying of viscin layer : in the ripe seed the broad head of the embryo projects from 

 it (fig. 13, PL X.). The distal surface of this head is slightly convex; its outline in a 

 plane at right angles to the main axis of the embryo is circular — that is to say, this head 

 is lenticular. Around the edge of this lens-shaped head is a fringe of multicellular 

 projections (fig. 15 h, PI. X.) . The embryo is often not quite symmetrical in the 

 endosperm. Continuous with the head is often a thread of cells transparent viscid, the 

 remains of the suspcnsor. Whole embryo bright green, chlorophyll-containing, whilst 

 enclosed in the endosperm ; the head on its escape from the latter secretes a resinous 

 substance. 



Cotyledons fused, except at junction with hypocotyl, where is a slit. Very frequently 

 the embryo shows a curvature already noted in other species. 



Viscinn orientale — The fruits of this leafy Viscum are small, green, somewhat 

 lenticular, with oval outline (fig. 9 a, PL X.). When ripe, gentle pressure causes the 

 fruit to suddenly burst, whereby the small (2-3 mm. long) seeds fly out. There is only a 

 small quantity of viscin, and this is attached to the base of the seed. The ungerminated 

 seeds resemble in such a remarkable degree small green aphides that I was able to deceive 



SECOND SERIES. — BOTANY, VOL. V. E 



