378 SANDALWOOD FAMILY. 



CH. LORANTHACKE, MISTLETOE FAMILY. 



Shrub-like small plants with hard greenish foliage, closely 

 allied to the next family and differing chiefly in the more 

 reduced flowers and the habit. Parasitic on the branches of 

 trees ; represented in this country chiefly by 



Phorad^ndron flav^scens, Nutt. AMERICAN or FALSE MISTLETOE. 

 With obovate or oval, yellowish-green, thick, slightly petioled leaves, and 

 short, yellowish, jointed spikes in their axils, of dioecious greenish flowers, 

 the fertile ones ripening white berries. On deciduous trees, N. J., W. 

 andS. 



CHI. SANTALACKE, SANDAL WOOD FAMILY. 



Herbs, shrubs, or trees, with entire leaves and a 4-5-cleft 

 calyx valvate in the bud and its tube joined to the 1-celled 

 ovary, which contains 2-4 ovules hanging from the top of a 

 stalk-like central placenta, but the fruit always 1-seeded and 

 indehiscent. Style 1. Stamens as many as the lobes of the 

 calyx and opposite them. 



1. COMANDRA. Flowers perfect, In umbel-form clusters. Calyx bell-shaped or urn- 



shaped, provided with a 5-lobed disk above the ovary. Fruit drupe-like or nut-like, 

 bearing the persistent calyx lobes on its top. Low perennials, often parasitic on roots 

 of other plants. 



2. PTRULAEIA. Flowers generally imperfect, in spikes or racemes. Calyx 4-5-cleft, 



the divisions recurved, and, in the sterile flowers, with a hairy tuft at the base. Fer- 

 tile flowers with a pear-shaped ovary, which becomes a fleshy, drupe-like fruit. Shrubs 

 or trees. 



1. COMANDRA, BASTAKD TOAD FLAX. (Greek: hair and sta- 

 mens.) 



C. umbellata, Nutt. Dry ground, common N. ; parasitic on the roots 

 of shrubs and trees. Known by the 6 stamens with their anthers con- 

 nected with the face of the white calyx lobes, behind them by a tuft of 

 thread-like hairs (to which the name alludes). Stems 6'-10' high, with 

 many small, oblong, pale, alternate, and almost sessile entire leaves. Has 

 much the aspect of Hypericum. 



C. livida, Rich. Grows on L. Superior, and has larger leaves, 3-5- 

 flowered axillary peduncles, short calyx tube with ovate lobes, short 

 style, and pulpy red berry. 



2. FYRTTLARIA. (From Pyrus, from the shape of the fruit.) 



P. pfcbera, Michx. OIL NUT, BUFFALO NUT. Shrub 3-12 high, 

 growing in rich woods in the mountains of Penii. and S. ; shoots minutely 

 downy when young, but becoming glabrous ; leaves obovate-oblong, 

 mostly acute, soft and very veiny and minutely punctate ; fruit an inch 

 long. 



