CLXIII. COLUMELLTACE^E. 593 



HERBS, usually perennial, never green, parasitic on roots. STEM stout, fleshy. 

 LEAVES replaced by coloured sessile scattered or imbricate scales. FLOWERS $, 

 irregular, usually solitary in the axils of the upper scales, in a spike, rarely a 

 raceme. CALYX persistent, tubular or campanulate, 4-5-fid, or of 4 sepals more or 

 less completely united in lateral pairs. COROLLA monopetalous, hypogynous, tube 

 circumsciss at the base, persistent and marcescent ; limb 2-lipped, the upper usually 

 hooded, entire or bifid, lower 3-fid or -toothed ; throat usually with 2 gibbous oblique 

 folds, sestivation imbricate. STAMENS inserted on the corolla-tube or throat, 4, 

 didynanious -, filaments with a dilated base ; anthers 2- ( very rarely 1-) celled, sometimes 

 mucronate at the base, cells opening by a continuous or a basilar slit, connec- 

 tive sometimes spurred, curved at the top. OVARY superior, generally 1-celled; 

 carpels 2, antero-posterior, coherent, usually with a basal unilateral fleshy disk; 

 placentas parietal, 4, distinct or 'united in pairs ; style terminal, simple, usually 

 curved at the apex; stigma capitate, 2-lobed, undivided and sub-clavate ; ovules usually 

 numerous, anatropous. CAPSULE 1- (rarely 2-) celled, with 2 placentiferous valves 

 separating at the top, or throughout their length, or more often in the middle only. 

 SEEDS minute ; testa thick, tubercled or punctulate. EMBRYO minute, sub-globose, 

 at the base of a copious transparent albumen. 



GENERA. 

 Orobanche. Phelipsea. Clandestina. Lathraea. ^Eginetia. Hyobanche. 



Orobancheee approach Scroplmlarinece in their regular corolla, didynamous stamens, capsular fruit and 

 albuminous embryo ; they differ in their leafless and scaly stem and parietal placentation. This placen- 

 tation, their glandular disk, and the preceding characters, ally them to Gesneracecs, from which they 

 are separated by their scattered scales, parasitism, hypogynous corolla, and basilar embryo. We hav 

 noticed their connection -with Gentianete (which see). 



Orolanchece mostly inhabit north temperate countries, and especially the Mediterranean region. 

 Some species are pests of agriculture, from the damage they do to useful plants. The Phelipeea ramosa 

 starves the Hemp, Maize and Tobacco ; Orobanche pruinosa, the Beans ; O. cruenta, the Sainfoin ; O. 

 rubens, the Lucern ; O. minor, the Clover, &c. They are rare in tropical and South Africa, and appear to 

 be absent from Australia and South America. 



Orobanchea are no longer used medicinally, though several species were formerly in much repute. 

 They contain a bitter, acrid and astringent principle ; some contain hydrocarbons, oils or resins [especially 

 Orobanche major, which was formerly used as a detergent and astringent in diarrhoea]. The stock of the 

 Thyme Orobanche was employed as a tonic, and its faintly scented flowers as an antispasmodic. Lathrcea 

 used to be given to epileptics. Clandestina was supposed by the ancients to confer fertility on women. 



CLXIII. COLUMELLIACEJE. 



TREES or SHRUBS, evergreen, with compressed opposite branches. LEAVES 

 opposite, exstipulate. FLOWERS terminal, yellow ; peduncles short, 2-bracteolate. 

 CALYX 5-partite. COROLLA monopetalous, epigynous, rotate, 5-fid, sub- irregular, 

 aestivation imbricate. STAMENS 2, inserted on the corolla, between its posterior and 

 lateral segments ; filaments short, compressed, dilated into a 3-lobed connective ; 

 anthers with sinuous cells, confluent at the top. OVARY inferior, 2-celled ; placentas 



QQ 



