280 OROBANCHACP:-<E. (BROOM-KAPK FAMILY.) 



Synopsis. 



* Flowers of two sorts. 



1. El IPHEGUS. Upper flowers sterile, with a tubular corolla ; the lower fertile, with the 



corolla minute and not expanding. Bracts inconspicuous. 

 * * Flowers all alike and perfect. 



2. CONOPIIOLIS. Flowers spiked. Calyx with 2 bractlets, split on the lower side. Stamens 



protruded. Corolla 2-lipped. 



8. PHELTP^A. Flowers spiked or panicled. Calyx with 2 bractlets, regularly 5-cleft. Co 

 rolla 2-lipped. Stamens included. 



4. APHYLLON. Flowers solitary, without bractlets. Calyx regularly 5-cleft. Corolla al- 

 most regular. Stamens included. 



1. EPIPHEOUS, Nutt. BEECH-DROPS. CANCER-ROOT. 



Flowers racemose or spiked, scattered on the branches ; the upper sterile, with 

 a long tubular corolla and long filaments and style ; the lower fertile, with a 

 very short corolla which seldom opens, but is forced off from the base by the 

 growth of the pod ; the stamens and style very short. Calyx 5-toothed. Stigma 

 capitate, a little 2-lobcd. Pod 2-valved at the apex, with 2 approximate placentas 

 on each valve. Herbs slender, purplish or yellowish-brown, much branched, 

 with small and scattered scales, 6' -12' high. (Name composed of eVi, upon, 

 and (pyyos, the Beech, because it grows on the roots of that tree.) 



1. E. Virginiaiia, Bart. (E. Americanus, Nutt.) Common under the 

 shade of Beech-trees, parasitic on their roots. Aug. -Oct. Corolla of the 

 upper (sterile) flowers whitish and purple, 6* -8" long, curved, 4-toothed. 



2. CONOPHOr,IS, Wallr. SQUAW-ROOT. CANCER-ROOT. 



Flowers in a thick scaly spike, perfect, with 2 bractlets at the base of the irreg- 

 ularly 4 -5-toothed calyx ; the tube split down on the lower side. Corolla tubu- 

 lar, swollen at the base, strongly 2-lipped ; the upper lip arched, notched at the 

 summit ; the lower shorter, 3-parted, spreading. Stamens protruded. Stigma 

 depressed. Pod with 4 placentas, approximate in pairs on the middle of each 

 valve. Upper scales forming bracts to the flowers ; the lower covering each 

 other in regular order, not unlike those of a fir-cone (whence the name, from 

 K&VOS, a cone, and <^o\ls, a scale). 



1. C. Americana, Wallroth. (Orobanche Americana, L.) Oak woods ; 

 not rare, growing in clusters among fallen leaves. May, June. A singular 

 plant, chestnut-colored or yellowish throughout, as thick as a man's thumb, 

 3' -6' long, covered with scales, which are at first fleshy, then dry and hard. 



3. PHEL,IPJEA, Tourn. BROOM-RAPE. 



Flowers perfect, crowded in a spike, raceme, or clustered panicle, with a pair 

 of bractlets at the base of the regular 4 -5-cleft calyx. Corolla 2-lipped ; the 

 upper lip 2-lobcd or notched; the lower tt-psirtod . Stamens included. Ovary 

 with a gland at the base on the upper side. Pod with 4 placentae, two on the 

 middle of each valve. Stems rather thick, scaly. (Named for //. $ J. Pheli- 

 peaux, patrons of science in the time of Tournefort.) 



