PARASITIC PLANTS. 173 



is an example of this kind of parasite. It has no 

 roots or leaves, but lives by sending suckers into 

 its foster-plant, or host-plant, and absorbing its 

 sap. 



Green parasites are able to elaborate their own 

 food, and may therefore be either wholly or par- 

 tially parasitic. An example of a parasite which 

 has no connection with the ground is the English 

 Mistletoe. As it has green leaves it can take its 

 raw material from the host-plant and make it into 

 food, so that it probably lives both on the crude 

 sap and food materials of the plant on which it 

 grows. 



Partially parasitic plants live apparently in the 

 usual way, by the fruits of their own labor, and 

 steal secretly from the prepared stores of others. 

 Our Gerardias are of this class. Their roots make 

 an underground connection with the roots of other 

 plants and draw food from them. 



We will now examine some examples of these 

 classes a little more in detail. 



The Dodder is one of our most common para- 

 sites. Its yellow, thread-like stems wind about 

 low bushes and bear clusters of white flowers, but 

 they do not possess any trace of leaves. This 

 plant is not especially troublesome with us, but its 



