169 BRITISH PHANEROGAMIC PARASITIC PLANTS. 
is slightly different also in a few technical points. The whole plant 
has a sickly, unhealthy appearance. It grows in thick woods and in 
shady places, is parasitical on Hazel and Elm; it has also been found 
on Oak, Beech, Ash, Walnut, Ivy, Vineand Laurel. It usually only 
grows a few inches high, and coming into flower about April, is only 
above ground for a few weeks, but it is probable that it goes on 
growing under ground, during the whole time its host is active, and 
is storing up food matter in the fleshy scales of the root stock as a 
reserve for the next flowering and fruiting period. It seems too 
short a time from when the host tree becomes active to the time of 
flowering, for it to draw all the necessary food from its host. These 
scales are before flowering found to be crowded with starch granules, 
and, after flowering, many will be found to be empty and withered, 
so no doubt this little plant is tapping its host tree during the whole 
Summer and probably as long as it can drain anything out of it. It 
does not appear to have any injurious effect on the host; indeed, it 
does not seem likely that afew of these little plants would be noticed 
by a giant Elm, or a sturdy Hazel bush. It attaches itself to the 
rootlets of the host, which it seizes upon and absorbs into itself, the 
union being so complete that it is difficult to make out where one 
leaves off and the other begins. I have seen an account of Lathreea 
kept in a pot for about 20 years, it never came above ground, but was 
as fresh and sound at the end of the time as when first put in. This 
shows remarkable vitality. 
In 1879 I took a specimen near Dale Abbey on the occasion of 
one of the Society's Excursions, I have also found it in Dydon 
Woods near Ashbourne, at Ilam and Fauld. 
The five genera of the EupHRASIE, a tribe of the ScROPHULARINEA, 
viz: EuvpHrasia, Bartsta, Pepicutaris, RHiNaANTHUS, MELAMPYRUM, 
are all partial parasites, having only very slight attachment to the 
“host” ; indeed, it is hard to see what useful purpose their paras- 
itism serves, and it is not known how far it is important to these 
