MISTLETOE FAMILY 73 



in. long, y 2 to 1 in. wide. Catkins unbranched, 1 to \y 2 in. 

 long, in clusters. 



The Bush Chinquapin is a spreading evergreen shrub 1 to 

 6 ft. high, with smooth bark and yellowish foliage. The 

 large burs are unlike anything else in the mountains. It 

 grows mostly at altitudes of over 6000 ft., often uniting with 

 Bitter Cherry and Snow-bush to form extensive beds of 

 chaparral. 



URTICACEAE. Nettle Family. 

 It is probable that the common Nettle {Urtica gracilis var. 

 holosericea Jepson) will be found in our mountains. It is an 

 erect, unbranched herb, 4 to 10 ft. high, with ovate, toothed 

 leaves and stinging hairs. 



LORANTHACEAE. Mistletoe Family. 

 Evergreen shrubs, parasitic on trees. Leaves opposite, 

 entire, often reduced to scales. Flowers greenish, small, the 

 staminate and pistillate on separate plants. Sepals and 

 stamens 2 to 5 each. Ovary inferior, becoming a berry. 

 Flowers and berries globose; stems stout, mostly over 6 



in. long 1. Phoradendron. 



Flowers and berries compressed; stems slender, mostly 



under 6 in 2. Arceuthobium. 



1. PHORADENDRON. Mistletoe. 

 Parasites with flat thick leaves, or these reduced to scales 

 in our third species. Flowers globose, mostly 3-lobed, sunk 

 in the jointed stems. Fruit a globose pulpy sessile berry, 

 maturing the first winter. 



1. P. villosum Nutt. Common Mistletoe. Stems 1 to 3 ft. 

 long, pubescent, leafy. Leaves deep green, elliptic, obtuse, 

 3-nerved, Y\ to \ l / 2 in. long, y 4 to ^ in - wide, short-petioled. 

 Berries pinkish. — Common on oaks. 



2. P. bolleanum Eichler. Stems ^ to 1 ft. long, leafy, 

 becoming glabrous. Leaves greenish yellow, narrow, obtuse, 

 nerveless, l / 2 to 1 in. long, y A in. or less wide, short-petioled. 

 Berries pearl-white. — Common on Fir and Juniper. 



3. P. juniperinum Englem. Stems y 2 to 1 ft. long, glabrous, 

 yellowish. Leaves reduced to triangular obtuse scales. Berry 

 whitish or light red. — On Juniper, the var. libocedri Engelm., 

 with longer and more slender joints, on Incense Cedar. 



2. ARCEUTHOBIUM. 

 Glabrous parasites with square stems and scale-like leaves 



