92 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



Stems very slender, generally bright red or purple. Clusters 

 of flowers approximate, sessile, generally tinged with rose-colour, 

 particularly on the calyx, occasionally 4-cleft and with 4 stamens, 

 as in the preceding species, but more generally 5-merous. 



The large fimbi-iated scales which converge and nearly hide the 

 ovary, distinguish this plant well from small forms of the pre- 

 ceding ; to which may be added the acute calyx-segments and 

 shorter corolla with acute lobes. The flowers are about half the 

 size, and the heads not larger than peas even when in fruit. 



Lesser Dodder. 



French, CusaUe d, Petites Fleurs. German, Quendd Seide. 



This plant often looks very pretty, as it lies in patches on furze, heath, or 

 other plant which it may attack. Its red threads are so delicate and attractive 

 in appearance, that a casual observer would scarcely imagine how mischievous they 

 are. Well is it called in country districts " strangle weed." At first it appears in 

 little patches, but in a week will cover a space as large as a barn door. The whole 

 tribe have strong acrid qualities, and have been used in medicine, but with no good 

 results. The Dodder found growing on the thyme, " Thyme Dodder," as it was 

 called, was carefully stowed away as a remedy against " cold greefes " and " trembling 

 of the heart," and was believed to partake of some of the stimulating nature of 

 thyme. Culpepper tells us, in summing up the virtues of the Dodder, that it cures by 

 sympathy ; and he adds, — " Sympathy and antipathy are the two hinges upon which 

 the whole model of physick turns, and that physitian which minds them not, is like a 

 door off from the hooks, more likely to do a man a mischief than to secure him." 



SPECIES (1) IV— CU SCUTA TRIFOLII. Bab. 

 Plate DCCCCXXIX. 

 BUM, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 151. 



Stems threadlike, branched, reddish - yellow. Flowers sub- 

 sessile or shortly-stalked, in compact sessile globular heads. Calyx 

 funnel-shaped, white tipped with red; segments slightly fleshy, 

 semi-transparent, lanceolate, acuminate, erect. Corolla as long 

 as the calyx ; tube funnel-shaped at the time of flowering ; limb 

 spreading, as long as the tube ; lobes triangular, acute, spreading ; 

 scales rather large, half as long as the tube of the corolla, in- 

 curved, but not completely concealing the ovary. Stamens ex- 

 scrted. Styles 2, filiform, longer than the ovary ; stigmas linear. 



Parasitical upon red clover. Not uncommon in England, but 

 doubtless often passed over as C. Epithymum. Probably introduced 

 with foreign seed. 



[England, Scotland.] Annual. Late Summer. 



