470 LoranthacecE. [Viscum. 



sessile, in three decussate pairs in short axillary spikes, bracts 

 much shorter than ov., ovate, acute, bractlets 2, rounded; cal- 

 limb tubular, slightly and irregularly toothed ; cor.-tube i| in., 

 widened above, slightly curved, lobes about h in., acute, re- 

 curved; stam. 6; stigma globose; fruit small, under i in., 

 ovate-ovoid. 



Montane zone, 3000-7000 ft.; rather rare. Passara, Uva; Maturata; 

 Nuwara Eliya ; Hakgala. Fl. January, September; tube pink, lobes 

 green tipped with dark pink, anth. orange, fil. green. 



Also in S. India. 



Moon gives Colombo as a locality, and, as it was also collected by 

 Hermann, this is probably correct. The Maturata specimens (C. P. 2551) 

 have smaller and very obtuse 1. and much smaller fl., which are entirely 

 crimson, except at the base of the lobes. I have collected this variety 

 also at Hakgala in fruit, which is nearly globose crowned with the long 

 cal.-tube and inky-black ; it is possibly a separate species. 



17. Xi. capltellatus, IV. &^ A. Prod. 382 (1834). 

 Thw. Enum. 133. C. P. 2814, 3716. 

 Fl. B. Ind. V. 221. Wight, Ic. t. 304. 



Branches slender, thickened at nodes, usually compressed 

 when young, bark pale brown, smooth, young parts glabrous ; 

 1. 2^-5 in., opp., ovate or ovate-lanceolate, rounded at base, 

 acuminate, acute, glabrous, rather coriaceous, midrib usually 

 purple; fl. sessile, in shortly pedunculate clusters of 3 or 4 in 

 leaf-axils; bracts and bractlets much shorter than ov., rounded, 

 glabrous; cal.-limb long, nearly truncate; cor.-tube short, \-\ 

 in., inflated or widely funnel-shaped, lobes usually longer than 

 tube, oblong-linear, obtuse, recurved ; fruit J in., globose, capped 

 with long cal.-limb, black, shining. 



Moist low country up to 2000 ft.; rather rare. Kandy (Moon); 

 Ratnapura ; Matugama, Pasdun Korale; Mapalagama, S. Prov. Fl. 

 March-May; tube yellow, lobes pink or green, tipped with dark pink. 



Also in S. India. 



2. VXSCUM, L. 



Small, much-branched, jointed shrubs, parasitic on branches 

 of trees, 1. opp. oro, fl.very small, unisexual, usually monoecious, 

 axillary, solitary or clustered ; cal.-tube adnate to ov., limb 

 usually obsolete or reduced to a narrow ring; pet. (often called 

 per.-segm.) small, 3 or 4, fleshy, valvate, usually deciduous; 

 .stam. large, opp. and adnate to pet, fil. o, anth. opening by 

 numerous pores; ov. inferior, style very short or o; fruit a 

 berry; seed solitary, containing often more than one embr)-o. 

 — Sp. 30; 1 1 in Fl. B. Ind. 



