Monography of the North American Cuscutinee. 333 
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Art. VL—A Monography of the North American Cuscutinee ; 
by Grorce Enceimann, M. D., of St. Louis, Missouri. 
In directing my attention to the different. forms of Cuscuta of . ‘ 
this vicinity, I was surprised to find several distinct species, as 
well as a remarkable allied genus, while only a single species, _ 
the Cuscuta Americana, is noticed in botanical works. Havin 
been induced to examine particularly as well the species « i 
neighborhood, as the specimens with which my correspondents 
in different parts of the country have favored me, I offer the re- 
sult of my investigations to the public, with the view of direct- 
ing the attention of botanists throughout our wide-spread country 
to the subject; trusting that this neglected tribe of plants may 
thereby be further elucidated. I therefore avail myself of this 
opportunity to request botanists in different parts of the country 
to communicate specimens of the Cuscutz of their vicinity, ac- 
companied by the plant on which they grow. 
- Order Convo.vuntaces, R. Br. 
Tribe. 2. Cuscurinex, Link. 
Leaves reduced to scales.. Embryo spirally rolled around a 
mucilaginous albumen, without cotyle 
This remarkable tribe is appended to Convolvulacee, and bears 
to that family the same relation which Monotropee bear to Py- 
rolacee, and Orobanchee to Antirrhinee: these plants, which 
may be likened to Phanerogamous Fungi, being all destitute of 
verdure and of proper leaves, (bearing scales in place of the lat- 
ter, but never leafless in the full meaning of the term ;) while in 
the structure of their flowers they agree with plants of the high- 
est organization. They are all parasitic on other vegetables ; the 
Cuscutinese on their stems; most Orobanchee on their roots; 
and the Monotropee on their mouldering remains: hence they 
are obviously analogous to the class Entozoa of the animal king- 
dom; and may be termed Epiphyta, growing on plants. | 
The Cuscutiner are distinguished from other Hpiphyta by 
their growing on and turning around the stems (and occasionally 
the leaves) of other plants, as well as by their large seeds, resem- 
bling those of Convolvulus, and presenting a long and slender 
embryo, which is spirally coiled around a mass of mucilaginous 
