352 LORANTHACE^. 



opposite. Flowers shortly stalked, solitary or in clusters 

 at the leaf-axils, without bracts. Perianth single enclo- 

 sing the ovary and prolonged above it in a short tube 

 ending in four small deciduous lobes. Stamens four. 

 Ovary one-celled, with one basal erect ovule : style 

 shorter than the perianth tube so that the stigma is 

 enclosed in it. Fruit indehiscent. 



Species about 12, in south Europe, temperate and tropical 

 Asia, Australia, North America. 



Elaaagnus latifolia Linn. ; F.B.L v 202, I 4. Very 

 variable in habit, from an undershrub of 2 or 3 feet to 

 a straggler climbing up and over tall trees to 60 feet, 

 or a ' tree with tnmk 6 inches thick ' : often with 

 spiny branchlets at right angles to the main branches. 

 Leaves often directed backwards along the branch, 

 ovate-oblong, elliptic or roundish, firm. Flowers sub- 

 sessile in clusters of four or five at the leaf-axils, forming 

 large clusters near the ends of the branches. Perianth 

 tube /4 inch : lobes i 20 inch, hairy inside. Anthers 

 sessile at the throat. Style half the tube. Fruit linear 

 oblong, J4 to lYz inches, with eight ribs, red, fleshy 

 with a pleasantly acid taste, t. 231. 



Ver)' common in all the sholas of both plateaus flowering 

 winter months. Fysofi 1748, 2208, 2235. Bourne 271. 



Gen. Dist. Mountains of India, Ceylon, Burma, Malay islands, China. 

 In t. 231 : a flower split and opened flat to show anthers ; b immature 

 fruit with flower still attached. 



LORANTHACEyE. 



Parasitic evergreen shrubs — species 520 in 13 genera, 

 and 520 species LORAXTHUS and VISCUM being the most 

 important, 



LORANTHUS. f.b.i. 132 i. 



Evergreen woody plants parasitic on the branches of 

 trees, with entire and usually opposite and thick, yellowish 



