88 FLORA OF JAMAICA Schoepfia 



leaves have sometimes fallen, 1-1 • 5 cm. 1., 2-{l-3)-flowered ; 

 pedicels 1-2 mm. 1, ; calyxes separate. 



Near Troy, 2500 ft. ; Harris I Fl. Jam. 8799. 



S/ir«b 15 ft. high. Z/Cot'es i'S-G cm. 1., l'5-2'6cm. br. BjwZs rounded. 

 Flower-T^&Tts in sixes (or fives). Stigtna 3-lobed. 



Family XI. LORANTHACE^. 



Shrubs parasitic on trees or shrubs. Leaves opposite, reduced 

 in some species to small scales. Inflorescence various, racemose, 

 spicate or fasciculate. Flowers regular, hermaphrodite or uni- 

 sexual. Perianth double or simple. Calyx epigynous, annular 

 or cupulate, entire or shortly toothed. Petals epigynous, 3 or 6, 

 valvate, free or united into a tube. Stamens as many as the 

 petals, affixed to their base or centre, and generally shorter. 

 Anthers normally 2-celled, cells parallel or diverging, dehiscing 

 longitudinally, sometimes 1 -celled, with the cells confluent and 

 dehiscing by a transverse pore or chink. Disk epigynous, some- 

 times wanting. Ovary inferior ; ovule undeveloped until after 

 pollination. Fruit baccate. Seed one, with or without endo- 

 sperm ; embryo in the centre of the endosperm. 



The members of this family are generally known by the 

 popular names, Godbush and Mistletoe. 



Species between 400 and 500, very widely dispersed through 

 the tropics, rarer in the temperate regions. 



Corolla of 6 petals. 



Corolla very long, about 7'5 cm. 1. (3 inches) 1. Psittacanthtis, 



Corolla small, not more than 3 mm. 1. (J inch). 



Flowers not sunk in pits 2. Phthirusa. 



Flowers sunk in pits in spikes which are not 



articulated 3. Oryctanthtts. 



Corolla of 3 petals. 



Leaves opposite. Flowers more or less sunk in 



pits in articulated spikes 4. Plioradendron. 



Leaves replaced by scales or altogether wanting. 

 Flowers more or less sunk in pits in articulated 



spikes 5. Dendrophthora. 



Flowers not sunk in pits, Intemodes con- 

 tinuous 6. Eubrachion. 



1. PSITTACANTHUS Mart. 



Shrubby with no aerial roots. Leaves opposite. Flowers 

 large, coloured yellow, sometimes tinged with red, hermaphrodite, 

 parts of the flower in sixes ; 3 or 2 flowers grouped together in 

 racemes, each flower with a bracteate cupule. Calyx forming a 

 narrow ring above the ovary. Petals free. Stamens alternately 

 longer and inserted higher, and shorter and inserted lower; 



