462 Loranthacece . {Lomnthus. 



CXVII.— LORANTHACE^. 



Shrubs parasitic on branches of other trees, stems much 

 branched, often jointed, 1. opp. or alt., entire, without stip., 

 or o, fl. large or small, bisexual or unisexual, axillary, in 

 racemes or clusters rarely solitary, usually bracteate, di- 

 chlamydeoiis ; cal.-tube adnate to ov., limb short, truncate or 

 4-5-toothed or absent; pet. (often called per.-segm.) 3-5, 

 distinct or connate, valvate ; stam. 3-5, opp. pet. and some- 

 times adnate to them ; ov. inferior, i -celled, with i erect 

 ovule very obscure and adnate to walls of ov. ; fruit fleshy or 

 pulpy; seed solitary, embryo straight in fleshy endosperm. 



The presence of petals has caused this family to be sometimes placed 

 near Cornacece and Araliacece. 



Fl. bisexual, conspicuous . . . . i. Loranthus. 

 Fl. unisexual, inconspicuous. 



Anth. adnate to pet 2. ViSCUM. 



Anth. not adnate to pet. 



Anth. many-celled 3. NOTOTHIXOS. 



Anth. 2-celled 4. Ginalloa. 



Of our 25 species, 6 — 5 species of Loranthus and Notothixos are 

 restricted to the moist low country ; 3 species — L. sciirrula^ L. ligulatus, 

 and liscum articulatiim — to the dry region; and 7 — 4 species of 

 Loratithiis and 3 of Visciim to the montane zone. The remainder are 

 more generally, but capriciously, distributed, and appear to be somewhat 

 independent of climatic conditions. As many as 10 species — 8 of 

 Loranthus^ Notothixos^ and Ginalloa — are endemic. All are called 

 Pilila^ S., and Kuruvichchai, T. 



I. IiORANTKUS, L. 



Branching shrubs, parasitic on the branches of trees, 1. alt. 



or opp., fl. bisexual, in axillary clusters or racemes, each with 



a bract and sometimes 2 bractlets at base ; cal.-tube adnate 



to ov., limb truncate or 4- or 5-toothcd or absent ; cor. more 



or less tubular, often split down one side, lobes (often separate 



pet.) 4 or 5, valvate, elastically separating and usually strongly 



reflexed ; stam. 4 or 5, inserted opp. the lobes; ov. inferior, 



style long; fruit a berry, seed solitar)'. — Sp. 350; 58 in /'7. B. 



Ind. 



Fl. without a pair of bractlets within the bract. 

 Pet. 4, distinct {Baratranthus). 



L. over 3 in.; pet. A in I. L. NODIFLORUS. 



L. under i in.; petr] in 2. L. MAH.V.OIDES. 



