722 



CCXIV. SANTALACE^]. 



Ifttioflendron. 

 Lcnf and <J flowers. 



Mysodendron. 

 Androccium (mag.). 



Afysodendron . 

 Embryo (mag.). 



Utisotlendron. Mysodendron. 



Anther cut ver- Anther cut trans, 

 tically (mag.). verscly (mag.). 



Afyiodendron. 



Fruit cut vertically 



(mag.). 



ifytodendron. 



Fruit with twining hairs 



(mag.). 



MysuiJeiuiron. 



Seed cut, showing 



at the top a portion 



of the placenta 



with an abortive 



ovule (mag.). 



Mysodendron forms a group intermediate between Loranthacece and Santalacew. 

 They are small dioecious parasitic shrubs, from antarctic America, living especialty 

 upon Beech. Characters : FLOWERS $ : PERIANTH 0. STAMENS in the axil of a bract ; 

 anthers 1- celled, opening at the top by a transverse slit. FLOWERS : PERIANTH 

 superior, entire, and contracted. OVARY inferior [trigonous], with feathery setse 

 rising from the base [from slits at the 3 angles], 1 -celled; placenta cylindric, sur- 

 mounted by 3 naked pendulous ovules. [FRUIT ovoid, 3-gonous, 1-celled, 1 -seeded. 

 SEED pendulous from the top of the placental column, which bears the 2 arrested 

 ovules at its summit, obovoid ; testa membranous ; albumen fleshy. EMBRYO apical ; 

 cotyledons obscure] ; radicle superior, [apex discoid, exserted]. The plumose bristles 

 which escape from the three longitudinal slits at the angles of the ovary of Myso- 

 dendron, by twining round the branches of trees to which the fruit is wafted, fulfil 

 the functions of the viscous substance enclosed in the fruits of Loranthus and Viscum. 

 M. punctulatum is so abundant on the Beeches of Tierra del Fuego that it may be 

 recognized at a distance by its yellow colour, which contrasts with the dark green of 

 the trees on which it parasitically lives. 



CCXIV. SANTALACE^ Br. 



FLOWERS usually g . PERIANTH single. STAMENS equal and opposite to the 

 perianth-lobes. OVARY inferior, or adherent by the base only, 1-celled ; OVULES 2-3-5, 

 reduced to the nucleus, pendulous from the top of a central free placenta. FRUIT dry or 

 Heshy, 1 -seeded. ALBUMEN fleshy. EMBRYO straight, axile ; RADICLE superior. 



HERBS, SHRUBS or TREES, often (always?) parasitic on the roots or branches 

 (Henslovia) of other plants ; branches frequently angular. LEAVES usually alternate, 

 sometimes opposite, entire, penninerved, or with 3-5 lateral oblique nerves, usually 



