72 NEILGHERRY PLANTS. 
the body on which the seed adheres. If that body bea suitable one for its support, a grow- 
ing plant for example, a radicle in due time issues from the dilated sucker-like portion, pene- 
trates the bark, and extends itself on the wood below. I have seen seed ina state of vege- 
tation on leaves, stones, and in short anywhere, but of course they can only take root when 
their support is of a kind to admit of it. 
The plants of this family abound in the substance familiarly known under the name of, 
“ Birdlime” or viscum. The Mistletoe, the European representative of this family, is well 
known, at least by name, on account of the superstitious traditions regarding it, which have 
been handed down to the present time from those of the Druids, among whom it was venerat- 
ed as a sacred plant. 
VISCUM—unisTLETOE. 
Flowers diccious or moneecious. Calyx with the margin obsolete and entire. Petals 4 (more rarely 3 or 
5,) thick, nearly triangular from a broad base, very shortly united at the base into a gamopetalous 4-partite 
corolla, or distinct, valvate in estivation. Stamens wanting in the female; in the male without filaments, and 
with the anthers adnate to the petals, and composed of numerous little cells (or bilocular ?) : ovary in the female 
cohering with the calyx. Stigma almost sessile obtuse. Berry umbilicated, internally mucilaginous. Embryo 
irregular in its direction, sometimes 2 or 3 in the same seed : extremity of the radicle often (always?) protruded 
beyond the albumen,—Parasitical shrubs, growing on dicotyledonous trees, all (with one exception,) glabrous. 
Branches terete, tetragonal, or compressed, often jointed. Leaves opposite or rarely alternate, often wanting or 
reduced to a'mere scale, Flowers fascicled, or in spikes. 
f this genus there are about 100 known species. They are generally ramous, pendulous plants, the 
ate jointed, bearing the leaves and flowers on the joints, the flowers are very minute, and often in the 
leafy species, required to be looked for before they canbe seen. The fruit is usually an oval, pulpy berry, fre- 
quently red, when ripe the seed is enveloped in a very visced muscilaginous substance, by which, they adhere to 
whatever they touch, and if the circumstances are favourable, vegetate. 
In this way they might be easily propagated. The species of this genus have but little in their appearance 
to recommend them, hence, except as curiosities, they are not worth the trouble. Not so however many of the 
species of Loranthus, which are indeed very beautiful plants, and might, I think, be easily turned to account 
for ornamental purposes. 
Vis orBicuLAtuM (R. W.) monoicous, fs joints, opposite or in opposite fascicles of 3 page 
Fei cy four sided, angled: leaves Bot gy orbicu- sometimes nearly verticillate—W. and A. Pr fos p. 380 
lar, much waved on the margin, slightly 3-5 nerved: This unlike the preceding, a widely dist tributed 
flowers senile xilla ary, aggregated, on and female and is found on all kinds of trees, the specim 
ixed : anthers sessile on the lobes of the calyx, flat, here given, grew on — He dodendron act gr a 
posed of gor oag little cells, berries oval, oblong, portion of which accompan 
obtuse a bot Viscum Montiiro eae 8 ‘eroaloides (R. W.) This 
rare salbaati: the plants from which se variety occurs in the most profuse abundance on the 
te ey was made being the only ones I have see hills, frequenting nearly all kinds of trees and shrubs, 
they were growing he branches of Agapetes ar- but is probably most frequent on a species of Iliz. 
borea. The ai Remnast ea not correctly Be ge: The specimen from which the drawing was taken, 
the anthers, the other parts of the figure un gre ies of 
ceptionable. carah River. This variety seems quite diccious ; but 
Viscum MONILIFoRME (Blu ume) leafless : = I have never met with a male plant among hundreds 
terete atthe base ; branches opposite or fascicled, that I have examined. Judging from the specimen 
presse : articulations obovate-oblong, Sere at ‘ths figured, it might well be considered a distinct species. 
base, 3-4 tim longer than broad, ong the but extended examination of the plant in all its forms, 
middle but ont striated : flowers pp at rs apex of scarcely warrants its separation from the preceding. 
