110 Polygonaceae 



at length exserted on reflexed pedicels. Berry fleshy 

 compressed, dehiscing elastically at the circumscissile 

 base. Cotyledons very short. 



1. R. occidentalis (Engelm.) Kuntze. Stems much branched, 

 5-15 cm. long, 3-5 mm. thick ; staminate plants brownish-yellow, 

 bearing numerous dense spikes, many-flowered ; calyx-lobes 3-4 

 mm. long, lanceolate, acuminate; pistillate plants olive-brown; 

 spikes short, 5-6-flowered or with the upper reduced to 1 ; berry 

 brown, oblong, tapering to each end, 4-5 mm. long. (Arceutho- 

 bium occidentalis Engelm.) 



Frequent on pines. 



2. PHOKADENDRON Nutt. MISTLETOE. 



Woody plants with terete usually jointed and brittle 

 stems. Leaves foliaceous, entire, faintly nerved, or re- 

 duced to connate scales. Flowers sunk in the jointed 

 rachis, usually several in the axil of each bract. Stami- 

 nate flowers with a mostly 3-lobed globose calyx, bearing 

 a sessile transversely 2-celled anther at the base of each 

 lobe. Pistillate flowers with a similar calyx adnate to 

 the inferior ovary. Berry sessile ovoid or globose, 

 fleshy. 



1. P. villosum Nutt. Foliage deep green; leaves elliptic, 

 obtuse, 3-nerved, pubescent, 2-2.5 cm. long, on short petioles; 

 berries pinkish, 3 mm. in diameter. 



On oaks about Pasadena. 



2. P. macrophyllum (Engelm.) Cockerell. Foliage deep 

 green; leaves orbicular-obovate, 5-7 cm. long, usually 5-nerved; 

 spikes large ; flowers pubescent. 



Common on the sycamores. 



Family 21. POLYGONACEAE. BUCKWHEAT 

 FAMILY. 



Herbs or rarely shrubs, with alternate or verticillate 

 leaves, which are often only radical, with sheathing 

 stipules or none. Flowers mostly perfect, on jointed 



