60 LORANTHACEZ. 
perianth when sepaloid, adnate to the ovary, infem. flowers solid 
or obsolete; limb annular or cupular, entire or shortly toothed. 
Petals, or simple perianth-segments when petaloid, 3-6, rarely 2, 
valvate, free or more or less connate in a tubeor in a sheath split 
on the upper side. Stamens as many as and opposite the corolla- 
lobes and usually adnate to them; filaments usually filiform ; 
anthers usually 2-celled, bursting longitudinally or by pores. Disk 
epigynous or in fem. flowers within the stamens, fleshy and rather 
prominent or none. Staminodes in fem. flowers and rudimentary 
ovary in male flowers rarely present. Ovary inferior, at first appa- 
rently solid, at length 1-celled ; styleshort or long, stigma simple ; 
ovule solitary, erect, adnate throughout to the walls of the ovary. 
Fruit a 1-seeded berry or drupe. Seed adnate to the pericarp; 
albumen fleshy, often toothed at the apex, or none; embryo 
straight, usually fleshy, radicle superior.—Species about 500, 
mostly tropical. , 
Flowers bisexual; stylelong . , ; . 1. LoRaAntTuus. 
Flowers unisexual; styleshortornone . . 2. VISCUM. 
1. LORANTHUS, Linn. ; FI. Brit. Ind. v, 203. 
Semiparasitic shrubs, usually on trees. Leaves cpposite, rarely 
alternate, usually thick and fleshy or coriaceous, nerves obscure. 
Flowers 2-sexual, usually coloured, in spikes racemes or cymes, 
axillary or on the old nodes; bracts concave or oblique, cupular ; 
bracteoles 2, free or connate with the bract or none. Perianth 
double. Calyw-tube adnate to the ovary; limb short, truncate or 
4-6-toothed or obsolete.. Pefals 4-6, valvate, free or more or less 
connate in a tube with spreading tips, or in a sheath split behind ; 
tube naked or with conniving scales at the hase. Stamens 4-6, 
adnate to the petals; anthers adnate or versatile, with parallel 
cells. Disk none. Style columnar, filiform, rarely twisted. Fruit 
a berry or drupe, l-seeded. Embryo usually fleshy, cotyledons 
2 or 4.—Species about 350, mostly tropical. 
Corolla of 4 free petals; flowers small, shortly 
pedicelled, rusty-pubescent; anthers con- 
tinuous with the filaments, distinctly 2-celled 7. ZL. ligustrinus. 
