Viscum.] LXV. LORANTHACEiE. 393 



tually perish. The tissue of the parasite-roots is softer than the surrounding 

 wood of the foster-plant, and decays readily. This explains the curiously 

 grooved cavities or cup-shaped hollows in the wood of trees which have been 

 attacked by Loranthus. Some species of Viscum throw out superficial roots 

 from their stem, which attach themselves to the bark of the foster-plant by 

 suckers. Kegarding the anatomy of the Mistletoe, and the alterations which 

 the wood-tissue of the Maple and other trees undergoes when attacked by it, 

 see Harley on the Parasitism of the Mistletoe (Trans. Linn. Soc. xxiv. 175). 



2. V. monoicum, Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 763. Syn. V. bengalense, Roxb. 

 111. in Herb. Kew, t. 1181 \ V. fahatum, Wall. 



Stems terete, branches jointed, trichotomous, or dichotomous by the 

 abortion of the central or one of the side shoots. Leaves bright green, flat, 

 falcate or obliquely ovate, acute, narrowed into a short petiole, 2-4 in. long, 

 with 3-5 prominent longitudinal nerves, edge slightly undulate. Flowers 

 monoicous (sometimes dioicous 1 ?), short-pedicellate, in axillary peduncu- 

 late clusters of 3-5 flowers, supported by a common transversely oblong 

 concave bract, with acute cusps. Berry smooth, oblong, blackish-brown 

 when ripe, J in. long, on a short stalk. 



This species is with certainty known only from the Sundarbans (Roxburgh), 

 Silhet, the Kasia hills (to 3000 ft.), the Sikkim.Terai and lower hills (to 4000 

 ft.), and Gorakhpur. Oudh forests (on Elceodendron Roxburghii), according to 

 sp. collected by R. Thompson and identified by Dr Stewart, which, however, I 

 have not seen. There are also specimens in Herb. Kew collected by Edgeworth 

 in Banda, on Zizyphus xylo}jyra and Bassia latifolia, which probably belong 

 to this species. Fl. May ; fr. Aug., Sept. 



3. V. orientale, Willd.; W. & A. Prodr. 379; Benth. Fl. Hongkong. 

 141 ; Blume, Fl. Javae (Lorantheae), tab. 24, 25. Syn. V. verticillatum, 

 Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 764 (not Linn.) 



Stems terete, branches jointed, trichotomous or by abortion dichoto- 

 mous. Leaves flat, thick, fleshy-coriaceous, obovate, obtuse, 1-2 in. long, 

 with 3-5 indistinct longitudinal nerves. Flowers monoicous, short-pedi- 

 cellate, in axillary short -pedunculate or sessile clusters of 3-5 flowers, 

 often several clusters in one axil, each cluster supported by a common, 

 transversely oblong concave bract. Berry globose or subglobose, \ in. 

 diam., with numerous minute prominent dots, and often with larger 

 warts. 



Behar, South India, Ceylon, Indian Archipelago, Hong Kong. Fl. March- 

 June. The characters, geographic distribution, and foster- plants of this and 

 the preceding species demand farther inquiry, and particularly better examin- 

 ation of the growing plants ; they seem to be very closely allied. 



4. V. articulatum, Burm. ; Benth. Fl. Hongkong. 141. Syn. V. 

 moniliforme, Blume, 1. c. t. 25 B ; W. & A. Prodr. 380 ; Wight Ic. t. 

 1018, 1019. Vern. Pand. 



A small leafless parasite, with numerous slender branches, forming 

 tufts from a few inches to 2 ft. in length. Stems terete, branches fleshy, 



