280 OROBANCHACE.S. (BROOM-RAPE FAMILY.) 



Synopsis. 



* Flowers of two sorts. 



1. EFIPHEGUS. Upper flowers sterile, with a tubular corolla ; the lower fertile, with the 



corolla minute and not expanding. Bracts inconspicuous. 

 * * Flowers all alike and perfect. 



2. CONOPHOLIS. Flowers spiked. Calyx with 2 bractlets, split on the lower side. Stamens 



protruded. Corolla 2-lipped. 

 8. PHELIPJ5A. Flowers spiked or panicled. Calyx with 2 bractlets, regularly 5-cleft. Co. 



rolla 2-lipped. Stamens included. 

 4. APHYLLON. Flowers solitary, without bractlets. Calyx regularly 5-cleft. Corolla al- 



most regular. Stamens included. 



1. EPIPIIECrUS, Nutt. BEECH-DROPS. CANCER-ROOT. 



Flowers racemose or spiked, scattered on the branches ; the upper sterile, with 

 a long tubular corolla and long filaments and style ; the lower fertile, with a 

 very short corolla which seldom opens, but is forced off from the base by the 

 growth of the pod ; the stamens and style very short. Calyx 5-toothed. Stigma 

 capitate, a little 2-lobed. Pod 2-valved at the apex, with 2 approximate placentae 

 on each valve. Herbs slender, purplish or yellowish-brown, much branched, 

 with small and scattered scales, 6' -12' high. (Name composed of rt, upon, 

 and $77705, the Beech, because it grows on the roots of that tree.) 



1. E. Virginiana, Bart. (E. Americanus, Nutt.) Common under the 

 shade of Beech-trees, parasitic on their roots. Aug. -Oct. Corolla of the 

 upper (sterile) flowers whitish and purple, 6* -8" long, curved, 4-toothed. 



2. CONOPHOL.IS, Wallr. SQUAW-ROOT. CANCER-ROOT. 



Flowers in a thick scaly spike, perfect, with 2 bractlets at the base of the irreg- 

 ularly 4 -5-toothed calyx ; the tube split down on the lower side. Corolla tubu- 

 lar, swollen at the base, strongly 2-lipped ; the upper lip arched, notched at the 

 summit ; the lower shorter, 3-parted, spreading. Stamens protruded. Stigma 

 depressed. Pod with 4 placentae, approximate in pairs on the middle of each 

 valve. Upper scales forming bracts to the flowers ; the lower covering each 

 other in regular order, not unlike those of a fir-cone (whence the name, from 

 KCOVOS. a cone, and <oXis, a scale). 



1. C. Americana, Wallroth. (OroMnche Americana, L.) Oak woods; 

 aot rare, growing in clusters among fallen leaves. May, June. A singular 

 plant, chestnut-colored or yellowish throughout, as thick as a man's thumb, 

 3-6' long, covered with scales, which are at first fleshy, then dry and hard. 



3. PHELIPJA, Tourn. BROOM-RAPE. 



Flowers perfect, crowded in a spike, raceme, or clustered panicle, with a pair 

 of bractlets at the base of the regular 4 - 5-cleft calyx. Corolla 2-lipped ; the 

 upper lip 2-lobed or notched ; the lower 3-parted. Stamens included. Ovary 

 with a gland at the base on the upper side. Pod with 4 placentae, two on the 

 middle of each valve. Stems rather thick, scaly. (Named for L. J. Pheli- 

 peaux, patrons of science in the time of Tournefort.) 



