165 BRITISH PHANEROGAMIC PARASITIC PLANTS. 
poisons, and would give fruitfulness to all barren animals, also a 
safe protection against witchcraft and the possession of the devil. 
A great deal has been written on this most interesting plant by Pliny 
and other authors, both ancient and modern. 
The Genus cuscuta (the Dodder) of which 4 species are given in 
the British List, viz :— 
Cuscuta EURop#A (Great Dodder) on nettles, vetches, hops, 
thistles, etc., is but sparingly distributed over England. The local 
records are: ‘On tares near Twycross, 1849, Andrew Bloxham” 
(Brown’s Tutbury). Garner says “ rare,” but gives no localities. 
C. EpItHYMUM (lesser Dodder) on furze, thyme, ling, and other 
small shrubby plants, is not uncommon in England. The one local 
record “On heath Gracedieu, C. Babington” (Brown’s Tutbury). 
C. triroti (Clover Dodder) on red clover, not uncommon in 
England, but probably originally introduced with foreign seed. The 
only local record is from Brown’s Tutbury: ‘“‘ Lady Chesterfield’s 
farm, Midway, 1862.” 
C. epruinum (Flax Dodder) has occurred in flax fields, but 
probably introduced among foreign linseed ; it is not persistent in 
any locality. Only local record is “ Battle Flat” (Brown’s Tutbury). 
They are all leafless annuals, quite destitute of chlorophyll, with no 
roots fastening into the soil. 
J will take the lesser Dodder as an example of the whole genus. 
The seeds germinate in the ground and give rise to a thread-like 
seedling, without any leaves or other organs on it. As it is unable 
to utilize any of the ordinary ingredients of the soil it soon dies, 
unless it meets with a suitable host. Should it meet with a host 
plant, in this case gorse, it twines round the aérial green shoots, form- 
ing a complete ring; the pressure hereby exercised probably induces 
the formation of haustoria, or suckers. These may be regarded as 
reduced roots. They penetrate the cortex of the host, then into the 
woody tissues, and sometimes on into the pith. The tissue of the 
