BROOMRAPE AND TOOTH WORT 



itself for life ; its suckers grow into the host and absorb all 

 the food material which it requires. Those kinds which 

 attack Tobacco and Hemp are dangerous pests and do con- 

 siderable damage. 



The Toothwort {Lathraed) is so called because its scales 

 have a sort of resemblance to human teeth. With the 

 curious superstition which prevailed in medieval times, it was 

 supposed that the plant must be a remedy for toothache 

 because it resembled teeth. Unfortunately this is not the 

 case. 



It is, generally, quite like the Broomrape in its method of 

 growth, but it sends out long thread-like branching roots 

 with suckers on the ends, which become fastened on the 

 Hazel roots. For several years the plant remains under- 

 ground and forms very odd-looking, white, scaly branches. 

 These scales are rolled back in such a way as to form peculiar 

 and irregular cavities which open to the outside near the 

 tip of the leaf. There is no doubt that animalcula of sorts 

 get into these cavities and probably die there. In that case, 

 their remains will form a useful supplement to the diet of 

 the plant. The following remarks, however, taken from 

 Kerner have been disputed by other botanists. 



Certain of the cells lining these cavities " appear to send 

 out delicate filaments. 



"When small animals penetrate into the labyrinthine 

 chambers of a Lathraea leaf and touch the organs just 

 described, the protoplasmic filaments are protruded and lay 

 themselves upon the intruders. They act as prehensile arms 

 in holding the smaller prey, chiefly Infusoria, and impede the 

 motion of larger animals so as to cut off their retreat. No 

 special secretion has been observed to be exuded in the foliar 

 chambers of Lathraea. But seeing that some time after the 



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