186 PARASITIC PLANTS. 



its own food, and is not dependent on the organ- 

 ized sap of its host-plant. 



Finally, there are many partially parasitic green 

 plants. We should not know from their appear- 

 ance that they were living on stolen stores. The 

 Gerardias, Cow-wheat (Melampyrum), and Yellow- 

 rattle (Rliinanthus) are examples of this class. 

 The parasitic habit is not visible in these plants in 

 the first stage of their development. Fig. 45, n to 

 2), on p. 182, shows the germination of a seedling 

 of a European species of Cow-wheat (Melampyrum 

 sylvaticum). The seedling throws out a main root 

 an inch and a half long in the first week, from 

 which half a dozen side roots branch, without 

 being attached to any other plant. When these 

 side branches have grown long enough to come 

 in contact with the roots of other plants, they 

 fasten upon them, develop suckers, and steal their 

 juices. 



There are other plants, like Indian Pipe, which 

 live on decaying matter in the soil. These are 

 called Saprophytes. 



There is a great deal still to be investigated 

 about these parasitic plants, and any good observer 

 could record many interesting facts. 



