BINDWEED TRIBE 251 



augmented in the second sowing. "In 1853," says this botanist, "we 

 examined a crop of flax grown from foreign seeds, which had in it a few of 

 these weeds : seeds of this crop were sown again in another field on the same 

 farm in 1854, but with a four-fold increase of all the above-named weeds, 

 together with the usual British examples. The Dodder, indeed, which 

 presented but a few isolated patches in 1853, in the following year became 

 spread throughout the crop to its irreparable injury." 



3. Lesser Dodder (C. epithymum). — Heads of many small flowers, 

 sessile, and with bracts at the base ; corolla with cylindrical tube, longer than 

 the bell-shaped calyx ; scales converging, as long as the tube of the corolla ; 

 style and stamens extending beyond mouth of corolla ; annual. This is a 

 very frequent plant on heath lands, winding its dark red threads in 

 entangling meshes about the plants there, sometimes pulling down the yellow 

 tormentil, sometimes lacing together whole chimps of the stems of the thyme, 

 and other flowers which grow among the heather. But it is the furze-bush, 

 the golden furze, which is the chief victim of this parasite, and we have seen 

 during Augiist and September large tracts of furze-clad land where the 

 bushes were so bound about with its threads that they presented a most 

 singular appearance, and the form of their branches was quite concealed, 

 while not a yellow bud had found strength or room to expand, though on 

 plants from which the parasite was absent many a fragrant blossom was 

 spread out in luxuriant beauty. The flowers of this Dodder are very pretty ; 

 they are small, flesh-coloured, and so thick in texture that they look as if cut 

 out of wax ; they grow in dense clusters, but it is almost impossible to get 

 away a mass of their blooms and stems from the prickly bough which they 

 grasp so closely. It has been said that our word Dodder is from an old word 

 signifying, to tremble, because with the least breath of wind the plant "doth 

 dodder or tremble." In France the plant is called Cvscute, and the species 

 grooving on the flax had the old country name of Goutte de lin, flaxdrop ; in 

 Germany it is termed Flachsseide ; in Holland Warkruid ; and in Eussia, 

 Pcmiliza. It seems to thrive well on any shrub to which it once adheres ; 

 and, according to Sweet, will flower freely, and become very handsome on 

 plants in a hothouse. All countries, warm, cold, and temperate in climate, 

 seem to produce Dodder. It is common in Sweden, on the Swiss Alps, in 

 France, Germany and Italy ; has been found in Egypt and India, and on the 

 shores of the Mediterranean. The species are very acrid . though not now. 

 used medicinally, they were formerly much prized as remedies, and some 

 writers think that they have as powerful properties as some plants of the 

 Convolvulus family. The old herbalists, who called the Lesser Dodder the 

 Dodder of Thyme, held that the parasite, partaking of the nature of the 

 plant on which it grew, was more beneficial when found on that than on any 

 other herb. One of them says, " He is a physician, indeed, that hath wit 

 enough to choose his Dodder according to the nature of the disease and 

 humour peccant." We find Michael Drayton saying — 



"Here Dodder, by whose help alone 

 Old agues are removed." 



As thyme was the ' ' hottest herb " on which this plant was known to 

 fix itself, so Dodder of Thyme was considered available for what were termed 



32—2 



