EPIPHEGUS VIRGINI.WA. PEECII-DROPS. 



95 



Our plant, althougli ^t belongs U) a parasitic family, and un- 

 doubtedly has parasit'C habits itself, is 3'et not wholly dependent 

 upon robbery for its subsistence, as any one can see who will 

 carefully dig and oamine its roots. It has innumerable fibres 

 by which it drav's sustenance directly from the earth. The 

 exact manner of germination of the Epipkcgus llrginiiua is 

 not yet known, but that of some of the European Broom-Rapes 

 has been ascertained. The seeds usually sprout when in contact 

 with the growing point of a victimized root. In the case of the 

 Epiphtgus, however, the writer has found a stolon-like thread at 

 the lower end of the succulent base of the mature plant, which 

 seemed to make it evident that the plant had been connected by 

 that thread at a former period of its life with the root of some 

 other plant below it. It is probable, therefore, that the plant is 

 parasitic in its early life, and becomes self-sustaining at a later 

 age. 



A remarkably interesting feature of the Beech-Drops is to 

 be found in the cleistogene character of some of their flowers. 

 These cleistogene flowers, which grow on the lower part of the 

 stem, produce seeds without ever opening, so that they arc of 

 course compelled to fertilize themselves by their own pollen. 

 The flowers towards the ends of the branches open regularly 

 like other flowers, and are in every way perfect, being provided 

 with both pistils and stamens, and yet, strange to say, they have 

 never been known to produce seed. This is especially interest- 

 ing in view of the prevailing theories relating to the advantages 

 of cross-fertilization. It is believed by many of the leading 

 scientific men of our day that all plants were originally self- 

 fertilizing, and adapted themselves to cross-fertilization only 

 after the appearance on earth of the winged insects, which are 

 necessary, in the case of what are known as the cntomophilous 

 class of flowers, to effect the transmission of pollen from one 

 flower to another. There are other botanists, however, who 

 hold different views. Thus the editor of the " Bulletin of the 

 Torrey Botanical Club" (Vol. \'I, j). 65), speaking of Epiphcgiis 



