264 ASH : MISTLETOE 



(2) Inflorescence not a true catkin, or catkin- 

 like spike. 



[For (b) (a) The <? and ? inflorescences on different plants- 



see p. 270.] i.e. "dioecious." 



(i) Flowers devoid of both calyx and corolla 

 i.e. achlamydeous ; stamens two; ovary of 

 two carpels. Inflorescence a densely crowd- 

 ed panicle of decussate racemes, each with 

 a terminal flower. 



Fraxinus excelsior, L. Ash. A large tree with op- 

 posite pinnate leaves. The flowers show all stages of 

 polygamy, and are occasionally dioecious, when they may 

 come here. See p. 275. 



(ii) Flowers with a perianth i.e. monochlamy- 

 deous or with calyx and corolla i.e. 

 dichlamydeous. 



(a) Perianth single, or at any rate not dis- 

 tinguishable into calyx and corolla i.e. 

 the flower is monochlamydeous. Flowers 

 yellow-green in dense sessile clusters in 

 the forks of apparently dichotomous shoots. 

 Evergreen parasite. 



Viscam album, L. Mistletoe (Figs. 92, 93). Yellowish- 

 green parasitic shrub, with pseudo-dichotomous (dichasial) 

 branching, and dioecious flowers with exposed honey. 



Flowers yellow-green, small, in dense sessile cymose 

 clusters of 3 (or 2 or 5) between the forks of the dichasial 

 shoots, the males the larger. Perianth segments 4 or 6. 

 Stamens 4 or 6 with numerous pollen-sacs sessile and 

 fused on them and to the perianth-segments, the latter 

 on the margin of a hollowed-out receptacle. Floral 



