Monography of the NortJi American Cuscutinem. 343 



cuta indicated by the late Mr. Beyrich, and mentioned by Sir Wm. Hooker in his 

 excellent Flora Boreali-Jlmericana, (Vol. 2, p. 77,) and in the jfirst volume of the 

 Companion to the Botanical Magazine. 



C. umhrosa of Beyrich, in herb. Hook. (Fl. Bor.-Jlm. I. c.) from Canada, the 

 North West Coast, as well as the United States, I am unable to determine from 

 the characters given. It may be either my C. Saururi, or C. vulgivaga, p. glome- 

 rata : the length of the styles does not appear to afford constant characters in this 

 genus. 



C. arvensis of Beyrich, in herb. Hook. (C. Americana ? Hook.fi. Bor.-.Am. I. c.) 

 is perhaps my C. vulgivaga, a. laxiflora. According to Hooker, Douglas collect- 

 ed it in Oregon. 



C. coronata, of Beyrich, in herb. Hook, is enumerated but not characterized in 

 Hook. Compan. to Bot. Mag. l.p. 173. New Orleans, Drummond, 1833, on the 

 stems of Laurus Carolinensis. 



C. Epilinum, Weihe, has been introduced, with flax, into some parts of this 

 country, especially Chester County, Pennsylvania, fide, Darlington, Flora Ces- 

 trica, Ed. 2. 



(2.) LEPIDANCHE * n. gen. 



Calyx consisting of many imbricated scales, persistent. Co- 

 rolla tubular, 5-cleft. Styles two. Capsule 2-celled, 2-seeded. 



Very similar to Cuscuta when young ; but different in appear- 

 ance when in flower or fruit. The stem which connects the dif- 

 ferent clusters of flowers having then disappeared, the latter 

 only remain, consisting of innumerable crowded sessile flowers, 

 and scarious scales, spirally and most tightly coiled (with one or 

 several turns) around the stems of the supporting plant, which 

 at a distance appears as if a rope were twisted round it. The 

 flowers are so crowded that many are abortive, and as it were 

 strangled, presenting nothing but a bunch of scales j and others, 

 which are apparently perfect, do not mature seed. 



The principal difference between this genus and Cuscuta con- 

 sists in the calyx, which is not monosepalous, but is composed of 

 numerous imbricated scales ; of which the two or five exterior, 

 being much smaller, may be considered as bracts ; while the ten 

 inner, which are nearly equal in size and shape, crenulate, and 

 with reflexed or squarrose summits, appear to constitute the 

 proper calyx. The corolla and stamens, with their scales, are 

 entirely similar to the corresponding organs in Cuscuta : so is the 

 ovary ; but the unequal styles are generally longer in proportion, 

 and the stylopodium is as large as the ovary proper, or even lar- 



* From \nris a scale, and ajx^iv to strangle : a scaly plant, strangling those on 

 which it grows. 



