72 



ARISTOLOCHIACEAE 



FIG. 12 

 Phoradendron flavescens 



globose berries, scarcely more than i/^ inch in diameter, mature 

 in late November, and each contains a single seed surrounded 

 by a whitish, sticky mass, which causes it to stick to trees to 

 which it is spread. 



Distribution. — ^The American Mistletoe ranges from New 

 Jersey westward into Missouri and southward to Florida and 

 Texas. In Illinois, it is southern in occurrence, at present rare, 

 but nevertheless interesting, partly because of its parasitic 

 habit on trees and partly because of its botanical relationship 

 to the holiday mistletoe. And indeed this shrub, where it grows, 

 is used for holiday decoration. In Illinois, it appears to prefer 

 American elm and black gum as hosts but it occurs also on 

 many other species. In this state, it inhabits especially the 

 Wabash and Ohio river bottoms, coming up the Wabash as far 

 as Wabash County and up the Mississippi into the bottomlands 

 of Union County. 



ARISTOLOCHIACEAE 

 The Birthwort Family 



The birthworts are a family of low herbs or twining vines 

 with alternate, mostly cordate leaves and perfect flowers which 



