FAMILIES OF FLOWERING PLANTS. 



87 



Fig. 71.— The European mistletoe (Vis- 

 cum album) one-half natural size. Origi- 

 nal. 



highly prized at Yuletide than the American variety, as its berries are 

 much larger, and of a pearly white color. 



The host-plants of the mistle- 

 toes are quite varied in character. 

 Some species confine themselves to a 

 single variety of shrub or tree; thus 

 one is found on the southwestern 

 juniper {Jxiniperus pachyphloea). 

 Others, like the common Phoraden- 

 dron, are not at all partial, growing 

 on sour gums, maples or even oaks. 

 This family has no economic 

 use, although a kind of bird lime is 

 sometimes prepared from the berries 

 of Europeari species. 



Family Myzodendraceae. An- 

 other group of parasitic plants close- 

 ly allied to the Loranthaceae, and 

 consisting of about 10 South Amer- 

 ican species. 



Family Santalaceae. Sandalwood Family. Contains about 

 26 genera and 250 species, mainly 

 tropical. They are herbs, shrubs or 

 occasionally trees, frequently half-par- 

 asitic on the roots of other plants, but 

 not growing wholly exposed like the 

 Loranthaceae. The flowers, which are 

 variously clustered, have only a calyx; 

 they are monoecious, dioecious or per- 

 fect. The stamens are 3 to 6, inserted 

 opposite the calyx-lobes. The ovary 

 is inferior and one-celled as in the Lor- 

 anthaceae; but it becomes in fruit a 

 drupe (stone-fruit) or nut. 



In this country we have several 

 familiar herbs of the genus Comandra, 

 and known as bastard toad-flax, which fig. 72.— The Paie Bastard Toad-aax 



belong to this family. They have ter- (Coman^ra pallUl ^) , one-third natural 

 O J J "^ size. Original. 



