CUSCUTACEAE. 285 



dehivscent. Ovary 2-celled; ovules 2 in each cavity; 

 styles 2, separate or rarely united below; stigmas capi- 

 tate or linear. Capsule globose or ovoid, circumscissile, 

 irregularly bursting or indehiscent, 1-4-seeded. Seeds 

 globose or angular; embryo linear, curved or spiral; 

 cotyledons none. 



1. CUSCUTA L. Dodder. 



Characters of the family. Stems filiform, parasitic on 

 herbs and shrubs by minute suckers. 



Ovary and capsule depressed-globose. 



Calyx-lobes obtuse; scales conspicuous. 1. C. arvensis. 



Calyx-lobes acute; scales none or rudimentary. 2. C. calif ornica. 

 Ovary and capsule pointed. 



Anthers about as long as the filaments. 3. C. salina. 



Anthers subsessile. 4. C. suhinclusa. 



1. C. arvensis Beyrich. Stems filiform, pale yellow; flowers 

 nearly sessile in small clusters; calyx-lobes broad, obtuse; corolla 

 campanulate, its lobes as long as the tube, acute or acuminate, re- 

 flexed; scales large, ovate, equaling or exceeding the tube, densely 

 fringed all around; capsule depressed-globose. 



On various herbs about Los Angeles, Davidson. 



2. C. calif omica Choisy. Stems capillary, low; flowers 2-4 mm. 

 long, pedicelled in loose cymes; calyx-lobes acute; corolla-lobes 

 lanceolate-subulate, as long as or longer than the campanulate tube; 

 filaments nearly equaling the linear oblong anthers; scales none or 

 rudimentary; style slender. 



Occasional along the coast and in the interior, growing on various 

 low shrubs. 



3. C. salina Engelm. Stems slender; flowers 3-5 mm. long, 

 pedicelled in loose cymes; calyx-lobes ovate-lanceolate, acute, as 

 long as the denticulate corolla-lobes; corolla-tube shallow-cam- 

 panulate; filaments about as long as the oval anthers; fringed scales 

 shorter than the corolla-tube; capsule conic, usually 1-seeded. 



In salt marshes along the coast, growing over Salicornia, etc. 



4. C. suhinclusa D. & H. Stems rather coarse, ascending small 

 shrubs to the height of a meter or more; flowers 5-7 mm. long, 

 sessile or short-pedicelled, at length in clusters 1-2.5 cm. thick; 

 calyx-lobes ovate-lanceolate, acutish, much shorter than the cylindric 

 or urn-shaped corolla-tube; corolla-lobes much shorter than the 

 tube, minutely crenulate or papillose; anthers oval, subsessile; 

 scales narrow, fringed, reaching to the middle of the tube; capsule 

 conic, capped by the marcescent corolla. 



Common in the foothills, usually on shrubs or coarse herbs. 



