110 Polygonaceae 



at length exserted on reflexed pedicels. Berry fleshy 

 compressed, dehiscing elastically at the circumscissile 

 base. Cotyledons very short. 



1. R. occidentalis (Engelm.) Kuntze. Stems much branched, 

 5-15 cm. long, 3-5 mm. thick ; staminate plants brownish-yellow, 

 bearing numerous dense spikes, many-flowered ; calyx-lobes 3-4 

 mm. long, lanceolate, acuminate ; pistillate plants olive-brown; 

 spikes short, 5-6-flowered or with the upper reduced to 1 ; berry 

 brown, oblong, tapering to each end, 4-5 mm. long. (Arceutho- 

 bium occidentalis Engelm.) 



Frequent on pines. 



2. PHORADENDRON Nutt. MISTLETOE. 



Woody plants with terete usually jointed and brittle 

 stems. Leaves foliaceous, entire, faintly nerved, or re- 

 duced to connate scales. Flowers sunk in the jointed 

 rachis, usually several in the axil of each bract. Stami- 

 nate flowers with a mostly 3-lobed globose calyx, bearing 

 a sessile transversely 2-celled anther at the base of each 

 lobe. Pistillate flowers with a similar calyx adnate to 

 the inferior ovary. Berry sessile ovoid or globose, 

 fleshy. 



1. P. villosum Nutt. Foliage deep green; leaves elliptic, 

 obtuse, 3-nerved, pubescent, 2-2.5 cm. long, on short petioles; 

 berries pinkish, 3 mm. in diameter. 



On oaks about Pasadena. 



2. P. macrophyllum (Engelm.) Cockerell. Foliage deep 

 green; leaves orbicular-obovate, 5-7 cm. long, usually 5-nerved; 

 spikes large ; flowers pubescent. 



Common on the sycamores. 



.Family 21. POLYGONACEAE. BUCKWHEAT 



FAMILY. 

 >.i: i*'vjuili ;Mi 



Hierbsjor rarely shrubs, with alternate or verticillate 

 leaves^ tohieh are often only radical, with sheathing 

 stipules or none. Flowers mostly perfect, on jointed 



