CONVOLVULACEAE 223 



Annual. Stem 6 to 12 or 15 feet long, hairy. Leaves 2 to 6 inches in length, and 

 as wide as long; petioles 2 to 5 inches long. Peduncles 1 to 3 inches long (some- 

 times very short and 1-flowered), with 2 or 3 subulate bracts at the base of the 

 pedicels; calyx conspicuously hairy; corolla about 2 inches long, purple, blue, 

 variegated, or entirely white ; capsule globose, mucronate, 3-celled. 

 Hob. Gardens, Ac. Nat. of S. America. Fl. July. Fr. Aug. 



Obs. This rather ornamental plant is naturalized in almost every 

 garden ; and is quite a favorite for training about humble doorways, 

 and arbors. 



SUBORDER II. CUSCUTFNEAE. 



Plants parasitic, smooth, orange-colored ; stems twining (against the aun), filiform ; 

 leaves none, or represented by minute -scales ; flowers clustered; corolla 4- or 5-lobed ; 

 embryo filiform ; cotykdons none ! 



CtTS'CITTA, Tournef. 

 [A name of uncertain derivation ; supposed to be Arabic.] 

 Calyx 4- or 5-cleft. Corolla globose-urceolate. Stamens 4 or 5, 

 attached to the tube, and alternate with the lobes, of the corolla, 

 each with a scale-like fringed appendage at base. Capsule 2-celled, 

 4-seeded, circumscissed, or indehiscent, rarely bursting irregularly. 

 Chiefly annuals : flowers small, whitish, cymose-clustered. 



1, C. epilinum, Weihe. Stem very slender; flowers sessile, in small 

 dense clusters; stigmas acute. 



C. Europaea. FL Cestr. ed. 2. p. 167. 

 FLAX CUSCTJTA. Flax- Vine. Dodder. 



Stem 2 to 3 or 4 feet long, twining, branching, and much entangled. Flowers in 

 email capitafe clusters. Scales at the base of the stamens small. Stigmas elongated. 

 Capsule circumscissed near the base. 

 Hob. Among Flax. Nat. of Europe. Fl. June. Fr. July. 



Obs. This was formerly a great pest among the Flax crops, 

 entangling and spoiling large quantities ; but since ilidt culture has 

 declined, here, it has become quite rare. 



2. C. Gronuvii, Willd. Stem thickish-filiform \ flowers pedun- 

 culate, in cymose clusters; stigmas capitate. 



C. Americana. FL Cestr. ed. 2. p. 166. 

 GRONOVIUS'S CUSCUTA. Love-vine. 



Stem 2 to 5 or 6 feet long, branching, fleshy, reddish-orange color, twining 

 round other plants, and attaching itself by radicating processes or tubercles, when 

 it dies at the root, and loses its direct connection with the earth. Flowers tn 

 numerous subumbollate or cymose clusters. Ssab>* oblong, conspicuously fringed. 

 Capsule indehiscent, with the remains of the corolla persistent at the base, 

 Hob. Moist, low grounds; along streams: frequent. FL Aug. Fr. Octo. 



Obs. This remarkable parasite somewhat resembling copper 

 wire, in appearance, seizes upon any herb within its reach ; but is 

 most usually found clinging to such neighbors as Imp aliens, Lycopus, 

 Boehmeria, and Mentha viridis. The Genus comprises a number of 

 species, and has been ably investigated by that acute and learned 

 Botanist, Dr. GEORGE ENGELMANN, of St. Louis, Missouri. 



