Postelsia 
(oe) 
Co 
growths 2-6 centimeters in diameter upon 
the roots of its host, and from! these=@the 
plant rises. The portion above ground varies 
from about 6-16 centimeters and is closely cover- 
ed with brownish colored scale leaves or bracts 
which give the plant much the appearance of an 
old spruce cone struck base end into the ground. 
Almost the entire visible portion of the plant is 
inflorescence, a flower standing in the axil of 
each of the brown scale leaves. At maturity the 
comparatively large capsular fruits crowd close 
one upon each other over the entire flowering 
axis. The parasite appears to be most common 
where the host plant is found growing over steep 
slopes or embankments. In such position the 
roots of the salal are more easily reached and 
therefore the parasitism more readily established 
than where a thicker and firmer layer of soil has 
to be penetrated. 
Saprophytism—Where there is such’ an 
abundance of decaying vegetable matter and 
where the soil is so largely humus as it is in the 
forests of this region, one would reasonably ex- 
pect to meet frequently with the phenomenon of 
