22 BOTANICAL GAZET1E. 



flavescens, Nuttall, seems also confined to deciduous trees and shrubs. 

 This extends across the continent, a form being found on the Pacific 

 coast still confined t> deciduous plants; while another genus. Arceu- 

 thobium, seems wholly confined to the coniferous trees which are mixed 

 with the deciduous ones. The nam^ Arceuthobium is suggestive of 

 this fact, it being derived from two Greek words signifying "living on 

 the juniper." Phoradendron, on the other hand, means simply 

 "living on, or stealing from trees." Arceuthobium, however, does not 

 live whollv on junipers. In the herbarium of the Phila. Academy is 

 a specimen of A. occidentale, growing on Jiiniperus occidcntalis — some 

 Nevada specimens are on Pinus ponderosi. I have specimens of Pho- 

 radendron juniperinum from Nevada growing on Libocedrus decurrens, 

 which, by the way, is, I believe, the first time this pretty cupressine- 

 ous tree has been reported from the State of Nevada. Among the 

 differences noted by Engelmann in the Botany of California, between 

 Phoradendron and Arceuthobium, is that while the former flowers in 

 February and March, and matures its fruit "next winter," the fruit of 

 the Californian species opens in the summer, and does not mature till 

 the "second autumn." The European Mistletoe is stated by Bentham 

 to open in spring, and perhaps this is so ; it was formerly supposed to 

 be the case with the American Phoradendron flavescens, but Mr. Wm. 

 Canby had shown to the Phila. Academy recently, that in Delaware 

 the flowers open in the fall, and the fruit matures in the autumn of the 

 following year, or just one year afterward. The flowers and fruit are 

 on the trees at the same time together. If this is general with Pho- 

 radendron. it still lessens the distinctions between the genera. Usually 

 Phoradendron bears leaves, while Arceuthobium is leafless— but the 

 Libocedrus parasite is as destitute of leaves as an Arceuthobium, and the 

 common observer would see little in their general aspects to distin- 

 guish them. But there is one great difference in the genus, at least 

 as represented by these two species. In opening the box which con- 

 tained the specimens, the whole mass was covered with a dense viscid 

 secretion, which rendered it very difficult to separate one branch from 

 another. On leaving the lid open a little while, the watery particles 

 soon evaporated, leaving a dry gummy deposit over the whole surface. 

 While this was going on, the seeds were ejected with great force from 

 their endocarps. being projected against the face with such force as to 

 leave a stinging sensation. Dr. Engelmann has noted this powerof ejec- 

 tion in the berries of this plant. The Phoradendron exhibits no trace of 

 any such power, though there seems to be little difference in the struc. 

 ture of the berries. These facts raise a nice teleological question. 

 Birds do not seem to use the berries. As they are so viscid 

 that the famous bird-lime is made from some species, it is probable the 

 very viscidity would prevent the free use of the beak in any attempt 

 to use the seeds. But it is believed that by becoming attached to the 

 feet or feathers of birds, the seeds are widely distributed, and that in 

 this way the plant has all the advantage necessary for distribution in 

 the "struggle for life." But Arceuthobium, besides all the advantages 



