Mistletoe (Loranthacece) 199 



28. Family LORANTHACEzE. (Mistletoe Fam.) 

 Genus Phoradendron, Nutt. (Am. Mistletoe.) 



From two Greek words meaning " thief" and " tree," because of the mistletoe's 

 parasitical growth. 



Fig. 92. American Mistletoe. P. flavescens, Nutt. 



Flowers, small, whitish, in spikes in the angles of the 

 leaves, of two kinds, on separate plants. Corolla, 

 wanting. Calyx, usually three-lobed. The stamiuate 

 flowers with a sessile anther at the base of each lobe ; 

 the pistillate with a seed-case that is one-celled, one- 

 seeded, and adherent to the calyx. 



Leaves, three quarters to one and a third inches in 

 length, simple, opposite, entire, reverse egg-shape to 

 oval. Base, slightly pointed or rounded, stemless, 

 thick, fleshy, with three strong veins radiating from 

 the base. Stem, brittle at the joints. 



Fruit, round, white, the size of a small pea, in spikes and 

 clusters, one-seeded ; pulpy, the pulp very sticky ; 

 a berry. 



Found, from New Jersey to Southern Indiana and south- 

 ward, growing firmly on the branches of various trees. 



A much-branching evergreen parasite, one to one and 

 a half feet high. Its propagation is by help of the sticky 

 pulp, which holds the fruit to the bark where it falls, 

 until the seed takes root. As the plant grows it feeds on 

 the juices of the tree. 



In Scandinavian mythology it is recorded that Balder 

 (the Scandinavian counterpart of Apollo) was proof 



