MISTLETOE TRIBE. 293 



of King George's Sound, bears an abundance of bright 

 orange-coloured flowers, producing an appearance which 

 the colonists compare to a tree on fire, and hence they 

 call it the Fire-tree. This species is not a parasite, but 

 the greater part of the tribe refuse to grow except on 

 living vegetables. The seed of most species is coated 

 with a viscid substance, by which it adheres to the bark, 

 and which in a few days becomes a transparent glue. 

 Soon, a thread-like radicle is sent forth, which, from 

 whatever part of the seed it proceeds, curves towards 

 the supporting tree, and becomes flattened at the extre- 

 mity like the proboscis of a fly. Finally, it pierces the 

 bark, and roots itself in the growing wood, having the 

 power of selecting and appropriating to its own use such 

 juices as are fitted for its sustenance. Though not 

 themselves furnished with milky juices, they sometimes 

 attach themselves to plants of that description, and ex- 

 tract only such nutriment as they require. The wood of 

 the Common Mistletoe has been found to contain twice 

 as much potash, and five times as much phosphoric acid, 

 as the wood of the foster tree. Great virtues were attri- 

 buted to the Mistletoe by the Druids, but at present its 

 medicinal properties are in no repute. The Mistletoe 

 may readily be propagated by attaching the fresh seeds 

 to the smooth bark of an Apple or other tree. A 

 species of Loranthus is used in Chili as a dye, but with 

 this exception there are scarcely any which possess 

 useful properties. About 400 species have been dis- 

 covered, which inhabit principally the tropical regions 

 of Asia and America. 



1. VISCUM (Mistletoe). Stamens and pistils on sepa- 

 rate plants ; Barren flower, calyx ; petals 4, fleshy, 

 united at the base, each bearing an anther; 'Fertile 

 flower, calyx a mere rim ; petals 4, very small ; stigma 

 sessile ; berry 1 -seeded, crowned by the calyx. (Name, 

 the Latin name of the plant, derived, it is said, from 

 the Celtic gwid, the shrub, as being the -most sacred 

 of plants.) 



