206 



TETRANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. Cuscuta. 



Stems smooth, rust-coloured, sprinkled with white dots, 

 Flo<wer-buds above the leaf-buds, at the ends of the branches, 

 whence as soon as the fructification is completed, the end of the 

 branch dies, the leaf-buds which are on the sides shoot out, and 

 the stem becomes compound. Buds composed of 9 leafy, shin- 

 ing scales ; the first nearly opposite, very short, rectangularly 

 pointed ; the rest egg-shaped, blunt. Leaves convoluted, 

 sprinkled with resinous points, serrated towards the end, on leaf- 

 stalks. Flowers appearing before the leaves. Fern, spike oblon_ 

 composed of 5 rows, and in each row 5 berries. Berries thickish, 

 roundish, angular, taper pointed, with 3 shallow clefts, a small 

 tooth being fixed to each, sprinkled with golden resinous dots. 

 Linn. Catkins male and female on the same plant. In other 

 specimens from the same spot, catkins on distinct plants. Stokes. 

 And sometimes I have found a few female florets upon the male 

 catkins. 



Sweet Gale. Goule. Sweet Willow. Dutch Myrtle. — 



in gravelly soil, not unfrequent, and generally in large quantity. 

 [Highlands of Scotland. — Near Rufus's Monument in the New 

 Forest, Hampsh.J S. May.* 



europae'a 



/ 



On bogs 



CUSCUTA. Cal 





A or 5- cleft: Moss. 1 petal: 

 ips. 2-celled, cut round : seeds in pairs. 



C. Flowers sitting, mostly 4-clefted: stamens with a 

 * fringed scale at the base : summits simple. 



E. hot. bb-Blackw. bb^FL dan. A$$-Fuchs. 3±S-Matth. 

 V2J9-Trag. 810-ZW. hlA-Lob. obs 233. \-Ger.tn. 

 577-Park. 10. <1-Ger. 462*3*. B. iii. 266. 



This plant is parasitical, without seed-lobes. The seed itself 

 opens and puts forth a little spiral body, which does not seek the 

 earth to take root, but climbs in a spiral direction from right to 

 left, up other plants, from which by means of vessels, it draws its 

 nourishment. Leaves none, except here and there a very small 

 membranaceous scale lying close under a branch. Linn. Whole 

 plant purplish red except the blossom which is whitish. 



The northern nations formerly used this plant instead of hops; but 

 unless it be boiled a lona; time it is apt to occasion head-ache.— The cat- 

 kins boiled in water throw up a waxy scum, which gathered in sufficient 

 quantity would make candles. From another species of this plant, the 

 Myrica cerifera, the myrtle candles are prepared. It is used to tan calf- 

 skins.— Horses and goats eat it ; sheep and cows refuse it. — Gathered m 

 the autumn it dyes wool yellow. Linn.— The Welsh make use of tt»* 

 the same purpose. They also lay branches of it upon and under their 

 beds to keep oil' fleas and moths, and give it as a vermifuge in powder ana 

 infusion, applying it also externally to the abdomen. Penn. iVaUsii-f- 

 147- Its essential oil rises in distillation. When growing within reach 

 of a sea port I have known the sailors go some miles to fetch it to m^ e 

 besoms for sweeping their ships* 



