346 FIELD AND WOODLAND PLANTS 



The plant is not uncommon in the southern counties of England. 

 It is parasitic on the roots of the Great Hedge Bedstraw, and flowers 

 from May to July. 



3. The Tall Broomrape (O. elatior). — Also much like the Great 

 Broomrape, of which it is perhaps a variety. It retains its original 

 yellowish coloiu" for a longer period, and is parasitic on the Great 

 Knapweed, flowering from June to August. 



4. The Least Broomrape (0. minor). — A yellow or pale brown 

 plant, from six inches to over a foot in height, more slender than 

 the preceding species, with smaller flowers. The flowers are 

 whitish, but more or less tinged with purple, and bloom from June 

 to October. It is parasitic on a number of difi'erent plants, including 

 the Ivy, Clovers, Hawkweed, Wild Carrot, &c., and is found in 

 many districts in South and Central England. 



We have now to consider those parasites which bear leaves 

 possessing chlorophyll granules, and are therefore able to build up a 

 portion of the organic compounds necessary for their development. 

 Most of these, at least as far as the British flowering species are 

 concerned, have also true roots which grow into the soil and absorb 

 mineral food, Uke those of the non-parasitic plants aUied to them, so 

 that it is difficult to understand why they should require the addi- 

 tional nourishment stolen from the roots of neighbouring plants. 

 One, however, the well-known Mistletoe, grows on trees at a dis- 

 tance from the ground, and therefore obtains the whole of its food, 

 with the exception of carbonic acid gas, direct from its host. 



This plant — the Mistletoe {Viscum album), of the order Loran- 

 thacece — is attached to the tree on which it grows by a thick stem 

 that becomes woody when old. Its branches are of a yello-wdsh- 

 green colour, and are repeatedly forked in such a manner as to 

 form a dense tuft that often reaches a diameter of two feet or more. 

 The leaves are of the same colour as the branches, and are rather 

 thick and fleshy. The flowers grow in the forks of the branches, on 

 very short stalks, and are imperfect, the males and females being 

 on separate plants. The former are in clusters of about three or 

 four, in a cuplike, fleshy bract, each flower having four thick, 

 triangular petals with an anther on the middle. The females are 

 either sohtary or in clusters of two or tlu-ee, with a similar bract, 

 and very small petals. The fruit is a white, glutinous berry, almost 

 transparent, with onlj'^ one seed. 



The Mistletoe grows on a variety of trees, including the Apple, 



