227 



I he Merbabu Mountain at a height of 2000—2500 Metres. With 

 regard to its manner of growth tiiis species of Lorant/ms resembles 

 the two previous ones, but the leaves are not covered «ith scales, 

 and the flowers and fruits are much smaller. The seeds are also 

 quadrangular and quite of the .same structure as those oï Lorantlms 

 spec. 6. Tiie niucilngo layer was also the same, as were the tirst 

 stages of germination as far as we saw I hem — we remained for 

 two days on the top of Merbabu. 



9. Loranthiis fiisciciilatiis Bl. 



We found a species of l^orantkus which was noticeable because 

 of its small leaves and the flowers coloured dark-red at their base 

 on a gigantic tree of F/i-tis n'tiisa in liie neighbourhood of Getasan, 

 a village at an alliludc of al)out 1100 Metres at the foot of Merbabu. 



The fruits resemble in shape those of L. .-mhimtbellntns, but were 

 somewhat smaller and of a beautiful red colour like currants. The 

 tlesh_y part of the fiuit was especially well developed, so that the 

 seeds were very small, hardly 2 millimetres in length. Moreover 

 the mucilage layer was not so strongly developed. The seeds of this 

 species also were quadrangular, the edges more or less rounded off. 

 We were only able to observe the germination for a few days. 

 The tirst stages completely agreed with those of the three foregoing 

 species of Lordiit/iii.w 



10. Lorant/iii^- /loitdudriis L. 



This species is, in Semaraiig at any rate, the commonest Lornn- 

 thus. It is a vigorous plant which grows very quickly and of which 

 the stems, a metre in length, for the most part hang down from 

 the branches of the host. The f'ruils ure fairly large, about 10 

 millimeters long and 4 — -5 mm. thick. They have the sliape of a 

 truncated cone and are orange-red in colour. Mature fruits are 

 seldom found on the plants, because when still green and almost 

 ripe, they are eaten by birds. The germination of these nearly ripe 

 fruits, however, takes place just as well as that of the completely 

 ripe ones. Naturally the latter germinate more rapidly, but 

 germination takes place so quickly in this species, that one sees 

 little difference. 



In contradistinction to the fruits of the foregoing species of Loran- 

 th'j.H which are usually swallowed entire by birds, so that the seeds 

 arrive on the branches of the host with the ejecta, the fruits of 



