60 DIDYNAMIA. AiXGIOSFERMIA. 



449. *EPIFAGLS.t Orobanche. L, (Beech- 



drops. Cancci'-root.) 



Polygamous. — Ccilix r.bbreviated, S-toothed. 

 Corollao( the ijifcrdle flower rini^eiil, conii>ress- 

 ed, 4 -cleft, lower !ii) AhI: fertiie liovver minute, 

 4-too1hcd, det idijous. Capsule tnnicatc, oblique, 

 1 -celled, imperlecti) 2 valved, opening only on 

 one »ide. 



A someuhrit caniose herbaceous pbm, destitute of ver- 

 dure as in the precedhit? genus, and pLrasitconly upon 

 the roots of the Botch; stem virgalely brancl;cd, brunches 

 simple, every where distantly florit'erous: scales small and 

 remote, commencing- from tiie exlremiiy of the root, sub- 

 tending b(>th radical hbres and flow ers, upper parts ot" the 

 branches prodvicing pcilect flowers biit abortive ttuit, 

 lower imperfectly tbrmed flowers fructdennis! capsule 

 coriaceous, roundish ar.d sniall, wuh the character ot ^Me- 

 lampyrnm, but truncated, at length extending by moisture 

 in the ibrm of a cup. 



Spr.ciES. K. *ariierican7is. (Orobanche virt^inlana- L) 

 Equally indigenous to every pan of North Ameiica. 



Obs. Root tuberous and carnose, squamlfc reus, radicles 

 axillary, frag- !e, sliori and divarcately branciietl. Stem 

 and the whole plant, nearly smooth, branched from the 

 base, 12 to 18 mcnes high, branches about 6 to 9, long and 

 furnished wiih small ovate scales, shorter than the subpe- 

 duriculated calix. Flowers distant and alternate, desti- 

 tute of proper bracies, subtended by ihe cauline scales. 

 Calix short and cup-stiaped, only about half ihe lengih of 

 the capsule, bvn'der angularly crenate, Ci enatiu'es 5, acute. 

 Fruiting corolla very small, 4-toothed, rarciy expanding, 

 elevated and rendered deciduous by the obliquity and ra- 

 pid enlargement of the germ; later flowers produced to- 

 wards the summi's ot tlie brandies, conspicuous, more 

 than half an inch long, tubular, compressed, and bilabiate, 

 upper lip subemarginate; the lower 3-toothed, fiat, and 

 acute, without any intermediate plaits or palate, colour 

 white, with dark but bright purple stripes. Stamma 4, 



f Nearly similar to tlie common and appropriate name of 

 " Beech-drops," by which this plant is almost universally known; 

 from being commonly parasitic upon the roots of the Beech, 

 (Fagus sylvaiicuy and F. feruginea.) 



