60 DIDYNAMIA. AIS GIOSPERMI A. 



449. ^EPIFAGLS.f Orobanche. L. (Beech- 



tii-o^js. CiiMccr-root.) 



Polygamous. — Calix abbreviated, S-tootlicd. 

 Corollaui: the infiTiiic flower ringerit, romjtress- 

 ed, 4 cl'i't, lower lip 11. il: fei-tilo llower niiimtc, 

 4-tooriicd, deciduous. CapsuJc truncate, oblique, 

 1 -celled, iiiipertectly 2 valved, opening only on 

 - one side. 



A somewhat carnose herbace(>usplaiT, destitute of ver- 

 dure as in tiie piececiin.t t^er.us, and jjarasit c oaly upon 

 the roots oftlie Betch; stem vii-galely branched, braiiciies 

 sim])lc, evcrv where (iisiantly iiorjfe/ous: scales smah and 

 remote, commencing uom the extrcivsiiy of tlie root, sub- 

 tending' both radical hbrts and fiowcrs, upper parts of me 

 branches producing- pofect flowers but aboriive f( uit, 

 lower in){)erfectly fornfed flowers fructiferous! ca|'sule 

 coriaceous, roundisl) and small, wiih the ciiaracter ot »We- 

 hvnpijinim, but truncated, at length extendmg by moisture 

 in the form ol a cup. 



Species. E. *ar?7erica?ius. (Orobanclie virg-iniana- L.) 

 Equally iiidig-enous to every part of JS'orth America. 



Obs. Root tuberous and carnose, squaniifer(;us, radicles 

 axilary, fiMg- le, sliort and divai catc-iy branciied. ^tcm 

 and the whole plant, nearlv smooth, branched from the 

 base, 12 to 18 inches Isigh, branches about 6 to 9, long and 

 furnished with small ovate scales, shoiter than the sub|>e- 

 dunculated calix. Flowers distant and alternate, desti- 

 tute of prop«-r bracies, siibtendetl by die cauhne scales. 

 Calix short and cup-shapea, only about half the lengih of 

 the capsule, border angularly crenate, cienatures 5, acute. 

 Fruiting" cortjlla ver} small, 4-toothed. rarely expaitding-, 

 elevated and rendered deciduous by the obliquity and ra- 

 pic enlarg-ement of the germ; la', or flowers produced to- 

 wards the summits ot the branches, conspicuous, more 

 than half an inch long, tubular, couipressed, and bilabiate, 

 upper lip subemarginate; the lower 3-toothed, fiat, and 

 acute, without any intermediate phats or palute, colour 

 white, with dark but bright ptirple stripes. Stamina 4, 



j- Nearly sinalar to the common and appropriate nam.e of 

 '• Beech-drops," by which this plant is almost univeisaliy known; 

 from beuig commonly parasitic upon the roots of the Beech, 

 {Fagus sylvaiicat and F. ferugiiiea.) 



