1102 SANTALACEAE 



cium a single compound pistil. Ovary 1-celled. Stigma blunt, sometimes 

 sessile. Ovule usually solitary and suspended. Fruit a berry. Seed solitary, 

 with the testa and the copious endosperm indistinguishable. Embryo terete or 

 angled. 



1. PHORADENDRON Nutt. 



Shrubs, parasitic on trees, with jointed terete angled or flattened stems. Leaves oppo- 

 site : blades leathery, flat, sometimes reduced to scales. Spikes axillary or terminal, 

 solitary or several together, each joint furnished with a bract. Flowers very small, mostly 

 dioecious : staminate with a 3-lobed or rarely a 2-5-lobed calyx, one stamen inserted at the 

 base of each petal : anthers 2-celled, broad, opening lengthwise. Pistillate flowers with 

 a 'corolla like that of the staminate, and an inferior ovary adnate to the hypanthium : 

 style very short, thick : stigma obtuse. Berry subglobose, sessile, often crowned with the 

 persistent sepals, with a pale watery pulp. Seed solitary. MISTLETOE. 



1. Phoradendron flavesceiis (Pursh) Nutt. A bright green or yellowish parasitic 

 shrub growing in bunches on the limbs of deciduous-leaved trees. Stems 3-9 dm. long, 

 often densely branched : leaves opposite ; blades leathery, spatulate or oblong-spatulate or 

 sometimes oblong, 2.5-5 cm. long, obtuse at the apex, entire, usually cuneately narrowed 

 at the base, obscurely 3-5-nerved, short-petioled : petals obtuse, somewhat hooded : berry 

 subglobose, 4-5 mm. in diameter, white, the pulp glutinous : seeds oblong, flattened. 



On various deciduous-leaved trees. New Jersey to Missouri, Florida and Texas. Spring. 



FAMILY 2. SANTALACEAE E. Br. SANDALWOOD FAMILY. ' 



Herbs, shrubs or trees, parasitic on the roots of other plants. Leaves op- 

 posite or alternate : blades entire : stipules wanting. Flowers perfect, monoe- 

 cious or dioecious, solitary or clustered. Calyx of 36 valvate sepals. Corolla 

 wanting. Androecium of as many stamens as there are sepals, and inserted at 

 their bases or opposite them at the edge of a disk. Filaments distinct. Anthers 

 opening lengthwise. Gynoecium a single compound pistil. Ovary 1-celled, 

 sessile. Style cylindric or conic, sometimes wanting. Stigma capitate or lobed. 

 Ovules 2-4, pendulous from the top of the central placenta. Fruit a drupe or 

 nut. Seed solitary, nearly as thick as long. Testa wanting. Endosperm copi- 

 ous, fleshy. Embryo apical. 



Herbaceous perennials : flowers perfect. 1. COMANDRA. 

 Shrubs : flowers dioecious or polygamous. 



Staminate flowers in umbels : leaves opposite or nearly so. 



Anthers connected with the sepals by a tuft of hairs. 2. NESTRONIA. 



Anthers not connected with the sepals. 3. BUCKLEYA. 



Staminate flowers in racemes : leaves alternate. 4. PYRULAKIA. 



1. COMANDRA Nutt. 



Glabrous herbs, perennial by elongated rootstocks, parasitic on the roots of other 

 plants. Stems erect, solitary or clustered. Leaves alternate : blades entire, narrow. 

 Flowers perfect, greenish white, in axillary or terminal peduncled cymes. Calyx of 4-5 

 valvate sepals. Stamens 5 or rarely 4, inserted at the base of the sepals : filaments distinct, 

 alternating with the lobes of the disk : anthers attached to the calyx-lobes by a tuft of hairs. 

 Ovary inferior, 1-celled : style elongated : stigma capitate. Ovules 2-4, pendulous from 

 the end of the placenta. Drupe subglobose, with a thin somewhat fleshy pulp, and a crus- 

 taceous stone, crowned with the persistent calyx. Seed subglobose. BASTARD TOAD-FLAX. 



1. Comandra umbellata (L.) Nutt. Foliage bright green. Stems erect, solitary 

 or clustered, leafy, angled, simple or branched : leaf-blades oblong, oval or oblong-lanceo- 

 late, 1-3.5 cm. long, obtuse or acute at the apex, entire, sessile, glabrous or minutely 

 pubescent beneath : corymbs 1-3 cm. broad : peduncles slender, glaucescent : calyx short - 

 pedicelled, greenish, about 5 mm. broad ; tube deep green, turbinate ; segments light 

 green, oblong-ovate, 1.5-2 mm. long, acute : stamens included : drupe subglobose, almost 

 5 mm. in diameter, slightly ribbed, crowned with the persistent calyx-limb and with it 

 forming an urn-shaped fruit. 



In thickets and on sandy banks, Cape Breton Island to British Columbia, Georgia and California. 

 Spring. 



