144 CASSYTHACEAE. 



2. PERSEA Gaertn. Fr. & Sem. 3: 222. 1805. 



Leaves alternate, coriaceous, persistent, entire. Calyx 6-parted, persistent. 

 Stamens 12, in 4 series of 3, the inner series reduced to gland-like staminodia, 

 the 3 other series anther-bearing, their anthers 4-celled, 4-valved, those of the 

 third series extrorse and the others introrse in our species. Staminodia large, 

 cordate, stalked. Fruit a berry. [Ancient name of some oriental tree.J 

 About 50 species, natives of America. Type species : Persea gratissima Gaertn. 



1. Persea pubescens (Pursh) Sargent, Silva N. A. 7: 7. 1895. 

 Tamala pubescens Small, Fl. SE. U. S. ed. 2, 822, 1375. 1913. 

 Laurus carolinensis pubescens Pursh, Fl. Am. Sept. 276. 1814. 



A tree, with maximum height of about 14 m. the trunk up to 3.5 dm. in 

 diameter, the twigs densely short-pubescent, the thin brown bark fissured. 

 Leaves lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate or oval, subcoriaceous, 0.5-2 dm. long, 

 acute, obtuse or acuminate at the apex, narrowed at the base, glabrous, bright 

 green and shining above, pale and pubescent beneath, the pubescent petioles 2 cm. 

 long or less; peduncles pubescent, shorter than the leaves; pedicels very short; 

 inner sepals 5-6 mm. long, twice as long as the outer; filaments pubescent; 

 drupe dark blue, glaucous, oval or subglobose, 8-15 mm. in diameter. 



Palmetto-lands, Great Bahama at Barnett's Point : Virginia to Florida. RED 

 BAT. 



Family 6. CASSYTHACEAE Dumont. 

 LOVE-VINE FAMILY. 



Vines, trailing, or parasitic by papillae on shrubs or on trees, the 

 leaves none, or reduced to scales, the small regular and perfect flowers 

 spicate, racemose, or capitate. Calyx 6-cleft, the lobes imbricated, in 2 

 series, the outer ones shorter than the inner. Corolla none. Perfect 

 stamens 9, with 2-celled anthers; staminodes 3. Pistil 1; ovary 1-ovuled, 

 becoming enclosed by the enlarging calyx-base ; style simple ; stigma small, 

 mostly capitate. Fruit berry-like, fleshy. Only the following genus. 



1. CASSYTHA L. Sp. PI. 35. 1753. 



Characters of the family. About 15 known species, of tropical regions. 

 [Synonym of Cuscuta.] Type species: Cassytha filiformis L. 



1. Cassytha americana Nees. Syst. Laur. 644. 1836. 



Cassytha filiformis Jacq. Sel. Amer. 115. 1763. Not L. 1753. 



Slender, branched, often 5 m. long or more, sometimes matted, yellow or 

 yellowish green, the stems about 2 mm. thick. Leaves mere ovate or lanceolate, 

 acute scales 1-2 mm. long, few and distant; spikes peduncled, few-several- 

 flowered, 1-2 cm. long; flowers white, about 2 mm. broad, the inner sepals 

 ovate, larger than the outer; fruit globose, white, 5-7 mm. in diameter. 



Coastal sand dunes and maritime rocks, throughout the archipelago from Abaco 

 and Great Bahama south to Mariguana, Inagua and the Caicos and Anguilla Isles : 

 Florida ; West Indies ; Mexico and continental tropical America. WOE-VISE. 



