GROUP V. AXGIOSPERMvE ; DICOTYLEDOXES. 



525 



flowers generally monoclinous : ovules 1-4, suspended, upon a free 

 central placenta : perianth 3-5-lobed ; fruit a nut or drupe : seed 

 with endosperm. 



Tliesium linophyllum, the Bastard Toad-flax, 

 is an indigenous plant which is parasitic on 

 the roots of other plants. The leaves are 

 narrow and linear. The bracts of the flowers, 

 which are disposed in racemes, are usually 

 placed high up on the pedicels, close under 

 the flowers, and in most of the species con- 

 stitute with the bracteoles a three-leaved 

 epicalyx. The stamens are filiform, inserted 

 at the base of the lobes of the perianth, 

 remaining curled up at the apex of the indehiscent fruit (Fig. 3395). 

 Santalum album, an East Indian tree, yields Sandal-wood. 



FIG. 339. -A Flower ; B fruit 



of Thf fin in jii ii f ii ii ii Hi .- / ovary ; 

 p perianth ; stamens ; n stigma 

 (enlarged). 



The perianth is persistent, 



Order 2. LORAXTHACELE. Parasites provided with chlorophyll : 

 flowers monoclinous or diclinous ; sometimes dioecious : perianth of 

 4, 6, or 8 leaves : ovary 1 2-merous : in the free central placenta, 

 which becomes more or less closely adherent to the wall of the 

 ovary, are developed several embryo-sacs, each of which probably 

 represent an ovule, but usually one only is fertile : fruit a berry : 

 seed generally with endosperm. 



Viscum album, the Mistletoe, is parasitic on various trees, forming con- 

 spicuous evergreen bunches. The stem bears a pair of opposite leaves 

 (Fig. 340 b 6), from the axils of which new branches spring, each bearing 

 a pair of cataphyllary leaves and then a pair of foliage-leaves, while the 

 main axis ceases to grow, or produces a terminal inflorescence consisting 

 of three flowers (Fig. 340 hf) : branches or inflorescences may also spring 

 from the axils of the cata- 

 phyllary leaves. The 

 flowers are dioecious. The 

 fruit is a one-seeded berry 

 with a viscid pericarp, by 

 means of which the seeds 

 become attached to trees, 

 and thus effect the dis- 

 tribution of the plant. The 

 $ flowers have multilocu- 

 lar sessile anthers which F.o. 3K-A Terminal shoot of a 9 plant of the 

 i /-r.- om o \ MUtletoe, Vitcum album: s stem; bb leaves; kfc 

 are inserted (Fig. 340 B a) Minary bud8 . f three ? flower8 w , th the fruit tet . 



upon the leaves of the peri- j, bracts. B <J flower (mag.) p perianth ; a anthers 

 anth. adherent to the leaves of the perianth. 



Cohort VI. Euphorbiales. Flowers usually diclinous; the 



