198 BROOM-RAPES, BALANOPHOREvE, RAFFLESIACE^. 



example of the Balanophoreae. The flowers are arranged side by side on the 

 branches, staminate flowers on one plant, and pistillate flowers on another, the 

 latter always grouped in spherical capitula, as is shown in fig. 41 ^. Reddish- brown 

 scale-like leaves are situated at the points of origin of the branches, and also at the 

 base of the entire inflorescence. The general aspect is that of a bunch of verrucose 

 grapes ascending from the root, or of the fruiting axis of Ricinus, and is very 

 striking owing to the blood-red colouring of all the parts. 



As a final instance of the Balanophoreae we may take the genus Cynomoriumiiy 

 which was so highly valued in olden times, and is the sole species belonging to this 

 family of plants indigenous in the south of Europe. A drawing of it is given on 

 the right-hand side of fig. 42. 



Whilst other Balanophoreae are parasitic on the roots of trees and lianes in the 

 shade of lofty woods, this Cynomorium thrives most luxuriantly upon plants near 

 the sea -coast, on the roots of Pistacias and Myrtles, and even on actual salt-loving 

 maritime plants, the various Tamarisks, Salicorniae, Salsolaceae, and Oraches, which 

 d-re sprinkled with foam whenever the breakers are high. The seed is like that of 

 other Balanophorege and those of the Orobanche species, and germinates in the 

 same way as they do. From the group of cells in the seed which represent the 

 embryo, a filiform body emerges, and then grows downwards, its upper part 

 remaining for some time in connection with the other cells in the seed, which are 

 richly furnished with food -materials. The filiform embryo continues to grow 

 deeper and deeper at the expense of this nutritive store, and as soon as it reaches a 

 living root, swells into an oval or irregularly-lobed tubercle, which unites with 

 the wood of the nutrient root in the manner already described. These tubercles 

 swell, and from the summit of each a spadix is produced, as in Lophophytum, 

 which is raised above the surface of the earth. The spadix is clothed with 

 pointed scales, and is clearly differentiated into a lower stalk-like support, and 

 a fleshy inflorescence resembling a cone. The small scales are separated from one 

 another by the process of elongation of the spadix, and some fall off". Others 

 of them, situated about the middle of the inflorescence, persist, however, until 

 the time when the entire spadix dries up. The whole of the structure standing 

 above the ground has a blood-red colour, and when it is injured a red fluid exudes, 

 which was at one time supposed to be blood. At an age when the peculiar pro- 

 perties of extraordinary plants were looked upon as an indication given by higher 

 powers that they were to be used for curative purposes, it was believed that the 

 spadices of Gynomorium, being blood-red in colour, and bleeding when wounded, 

 had styptic properties. In those days they were even collected for the sake of this 

 property, and sold in apothecaries' shops under the name of the Maltese fungus 

 {Fungus melitensis). Various miraculous virtues were also attributed to this plant, 

 and the demand for it was so great that it became a regular article of commerce, 

 its main source being the Island of Malta, whence is derived the name above 

 referred to. 



Of the Hydnorese, which are most properly included in the same series as 



