472 Loranthacecs , [Vzscum. 



opp. or whorled peduncles; cal.-limb a fleshy ring; pet. 3, 

 triangular, subacute, fleshy, deciduous ; fruit about } in., oblong- 

 ovoid, truncate, slightly rough with small prominences, pale 

 greenish-yellow. 



Low country in both regions ; common. FI. December ; yellow. 



Also in Peninsular India. 



This is very often parasitic on Loranthiis lotigiflorus and L. neel- 

 gherrensis. The leaves are often very few, or even quite absent. Dries 

 black. 



4. V. ramosissimuzu, Wall. Cat. n. 6876 (1828). 

 Trimen in Joum. Bot. xxvii. 166. 



Fl. B. Ind. V. 225. 



Stems numerous, very much branched, elongated, pen- 

 dulous, very slender, nearly cylindrical, slightly swollen at 

 nodes, yellowish; 1. absent; fl. subsessile, 1-3 (usually 2) at the 

 nodes, very small, with 3-5 small, imbricated bracts at base; 

 fruit (? ripe) rather over \ in., nearly globose, apiculate, smooth, 

 pale green. 



Montane zone; very rare. Maturata at about 5000 ft.; Ragalla, Uda 

 Pusselawe (Ferguson) ? 



Also in South India and (?) Singapore. 



My specimens grew on Rhododendron. Ferguson's specimens are 

 imperfect, but I think this species. I have seen no leaves. Wight, Ic. t. 

 1017 (V. 7amosissimum) is referred in Fl. B. Ind. to V. angulatum, 

 Heyne. 



5. V. articulatum, Burin. Fl. Ind. 211 (1768). 



V. cojnpressum, Moon Cat. 68. V. attenuatutn, DC, Thw. Enum. 

 136. C. P. 479- 



Fl. B. Ind. v. 226. Griff. Ic. PI. Asiat. t. 630 ( V. aphyllum). 



Stems 1-2 ft., pendulous, much dichotomously branched, 

 joints very long, oblong-linear, much compressed, slightly 

 narrowed at both ends, readily disarticulating, pale green 

 (when dried yellowish-brown and longitudinally furrowed) ; 

 1. absent ; fl. very shortly pedicellate, 1-6 in fascicles at the 

 nodes, each with a large cup-shaped bract at the base ; pet. 

 small, triangular, fruit under \ in., globose, smooth, greenish. 



Dry and intermediate country up to 3000 ft., rather common. Jaffna; 

 Dainbulla; Trincomalie ; Uma-oya; Kurunegala; Galagama; Nalande. 

 Fl. Jan., August. 



Also in India and Malaya. 



Varies considerably in the width of the joints. 



6. V. japonicum, TJwnb. in Trans. Linn. Soc. ii. 329 (1794). 

 ' V. monili/orme, Thw. Enum. 136 (non Bl.). C. P. 295. 



Fl. B. Ind. V. 226. Wight, Ic. tt. 1018, 1019 {V. monili/ortne). 



Small, not over 6 in., erect, densely branched, joints short, 

 much flattened (lowest one or two c}'lindrical), obovatc, 



