604 LAURINEZ:. [Cassytha. 
3. CASSYTHA, Linn. 
Leafless twining parasites, attaching themselves to living shrubs 
or trees by means of small suckers; stems terete, wiry or filiform. 
Leaves replaced by minute scales. Flowers small, hermaphrodite, 
in spikes or heads or racemes, each flower 3-bracteolate. Perianth- 
tube turbinate or ovoid; segments of the limb 6, the 3 outer 
much smaller. Perfect stamens usually 9 in 3 series; the two 
outer series either all perfect or rarely the second series reduced to 
staminodia; anthers introrse; filaments eglandular; the third series 
all perfect with extrorse anthers, the filaments 2-glandular at the 
base ; an inner fourth series of 3 staminodia present. Ovary almost 
free from the perianth at the time of flowering; stigma small. 
Fruit altogether enclosed in the enlarged and succulent perianth- 
tube, crowned by the persistent limb. Seed with a membranous 
testa. Embryo with thick fleshy cotyledons, which are distinct in 
the young state, but confluent when mature. 
A yery remarkable genus of parasitic plants with the habit of Cuscuta. 
Species about 15, 1 of which is very widely distributed, 1 or 2 are found in 
South Africa, and 1 in Borneo; the remainder are all Australian, 1 of them 
being the same as the New Zealand species. 
1. C. paniculata, &. Br. Prodr. 404.—Stems pale yellow-green, 
much branched, several feet in length, covering small shrubs with 
dense interwoven masses; branches ;4,in. diam., glabrous or 
minutely silky at the very tips; scales minute, ovate or ovate- 
lanceolate, membranous. Spikes numerous, often branched, 
4-2in. long. Flowers minute, distant, sessile. about ;4,in. diam. 
Perianth glabrous; the 3 outer segments very small; the inner 
obtuse. Stamens 9, ail perfect. Ovary glabrous. Fruit globose, 
about the size of a pea, enclosed in the enlarged and succulent 
perianth-tube, obscurely 6-ribbed or quite smooth.—Hook. f. Fl. 
Nov. Zel. i. 218; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 239; Benth. Fl. Austral. v. 
le 
NortH Isuanp: Extreme northern peninsula, from the North Cape to 
Ahipara and Mongonui, abundant. December—March. 
OrperR LXX. PROTEACE. 
Shrubs or trees, rarely herbs. Leaves usually alternate, very 
rarely opposite or whorled, generally hard and coriaceous, entire or 
toothed or variously divided; stipules wanting. Flowers usually 
hermaphrodite, inflorescence various. Perianth inferior, regular or 
irregular; segments 4, valvate, at first cohering into a cylindric 
tube, at length separating and becoming revolute. Stamens 4, 
inserted on the perianth-segments and opposite to them ; filaments 
short; anthers erect, adnate, 2-celled, introrse. Hypogynous 
glands 4, alternating with the stamens. Ovary superior, 1-celled, 
often oblique ; style terminal, variously thickened and enlarged at 
