APETAL^ 223 



like form of the leaves, the white, mealy undersides, and 

 the female flowers, which are solitary, in the axils. 



66. The Mistletoe Group. 



Of the Order Loranthacese there is only one British 

 representative, the Mistletoe. But the Order includes 

 five hundred and twenty species and twenty-one 

 genera, which are mainly Tropical. 



Though parasitic, or hemi-parasitic, the Mistletoe 

 possesses green leaves. The plant is attached to the 

 host by means of suckers or haustoria, peg-like out- 

 growths which are driven into the stem. They are 

 regarded as adventitious roots. 



This group is related to the Santalace^e or Bastard 

 Toadflax group. According to De Candolle's system 

 these plants were placed in Calyciflorae. 



Mainly shrubs or partly succulent plants the Order 

 consists of evergreen types. They are parasitic on 

 the branches of trees and have jointed branches. 

 The stems are jointed and the branching is sympodial, 

 dichasial in Mistletoe. The leaves are thick, leathery, 

 opposite as a rule, and without stipules. 



The inflorescence is cymose, with flowers in groups 

 of threes or twos. The flowers are complete or uni- 

 sexual. When the flowers are stalked the bract is 

 united to it as far as the base of the next branch. 

 The perianth springs from the border of the hollow 

 receptacle. In some cases there is a calyculus below 

 the perianth. The perianth is either sepaloid or 

 petaloid. It is attached to the ovary wholly or 



