Structure, etc., of Epiphegus Virgintana. 371 
for their feeble development. The whole area of wood is 
very small, there being but two rows of cells present, some- 
times three. These cells have thickened cell walls, stained 
with safranin, and include spiral trachez, annular and retic- 
ulated tracheids. This extreme reduction in xylem tissue 
is in accord with the colorless parasitic condition of the 
plant, and agrees with Wilson’s and with Smith’s observa- 
tions on Conopholis and Aphyllon. 
Within is the region of the internal phloem. This devel- 
opment was not noted in Schrenk’s description of the stem 
bundles. It consists of but few cells, showing identically 
the structure of the outer phloem, with its small and large 
thin-walled cells. Rarely this area is as large as the outer 
phloem area. It is absent from some bundles. Epiphegus 
is therefore another plant that must be added to the rapidly 
increasing list of those showing bicollateral stem bundles. 
Parenchyma cells lying next the bundles, both internal and 
lateral to them, show a tendency to develop thickening in 
their walls, and take on the safranin stain in the outer layers 
just as do the cells of the hard bast. 
In sections made near the top of the stem, the general 
appearance is much the same as in sections lower down, 
except that the bundles are smaller and weaker-looking. 
There is considerable reduction in the relative amount of 
phloem here, though it is still much greater in amount than 
the wood. The internal phloem is here much reduced or 
may be quite absent. The triangular shape of the stem is 
more marked here than lower down, and hairs are more 
numerous. 
This entire stem structure has evidently been greatly mod- 
ified by the parasitic habit of the plant. The phloem is exces- 
sively developed, being the chief highway for the passage of 
food. For elaborated sap is taken directly from the beech 
and the phloem is the region fitted to convey such material. 
The xylem shows great reduction, and seems almost useless 
to the plant. For even the function of support has been 
