Chapter XXVIII 



From Sandalwoods to Buttercups. 



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Toad-flaxes. The eleventh order includes six families, one 

 of which, the sandalwood family, is represented in Minnesota 

 by three species of toad-flax. In this same order are included 

 the mistletoes and other curious parasitic forms of vegetation. 

 The toad-flaxes belong to a group known as root parasites. 

 They seem to be independent plants, but if their roots are care- 

 fully dug up it will be found that they have attached themselves 

 to the roots of other plants growing near them, and that from 

 these other plants they are sucking their food. They are. in 

 Minnesota forms, slender herbs with leaves shaped like those of 

 a willow and with flow^ers in corymb clusters, or cymes. The 

 fruits are drupes or nuts. There is abundant albumen in the 

 seed, but the embryo is small and imbedded near one end. The 

 berries of one of the toad-flaxes are of red color and are edible. 

 These plants occur in dry or moist soil, and one variety is very 

 common throughout the state. They ordinarily have a rather 

 peculiar brownish-green foliage — except the pale toad-flax, of 

 which the leaves are lighter green. Some exotic sandalwoods 

 occur as trees, and from them the highly scented sandahvood 

 of jewel-boxes is obtained. 



Wild gingers. The twelfth order comprises three families, 

 tw^o of W'hich are remarkable aggregations of alien parasitic forms, 

 while the other includes the wild ginger and pipe-vine or Dutch- 

 man's-pipe of Minnesota. The parasitic RafHcsias, which be- 

 long to this order, are among the most extraordinary of plants. 

 One, which is found in the island of Sumatra, is famous for 

 having the largest flower in the world, over a yard in diameter, 

 of the color of livid flesh, and of a very penetrating, unpleasant 

 odor. These flowers originate as buds, resembling cabbage 

 heads, upon the exposed roots of certain Sumatran trees or 

 vines. The vine or root has, however, no structural connec- 

 tion with the cabbage-head bud. This is developed upon a 

 curious parasitic plant-body that lives within the tissues of the 



