266 THE COEKEL FAMILY. 



The affinities of the Order are perhaps greater -with the Sandalwood family 

 among Monochlamyds than with the Cd.lyciflotes, with which they are here 

 associated ; but they could not well be removed thither without domg vio- 

 lence to the general principles of the CandoUean arrangement. 



I. MISTIiETOE. VISCUM. 



Mowers dioecious. Calyx without any prominent border. Anthers in 

 the males sessile in the centre of the petals, opening in several pores. Stigma 

 in the females sessile on the ovary. 



The genus, taken in its most extended sense, consists of a considerable 

 number of species, ranging over nearly the whole area of the family, but it 

 has been recently proposed tp reduce it to the single European species. 



1. Common Mistletoe. Viscutn album, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1470.) 



Stems becoming woody when old, with repeatedly forked, succulent 

 branches, forming dense tufts of a yellowish green, attaining 1 to 2 feet in 

 diameter, and attached by a thickened base to the branches of trees. Leaves 

 entire, varying fi-om narrow-oblong to nearly obovate, thick and fleshy, and 

 always obtuse. Flowers ahnost sessile in the forks of the branches ; the 

 males 3 to 5 together, iu a somewhat cup-shaped, fleshy bract, with 4 short, 

 thick, triangular petals ; the females soUtaiy, or rarely 2 or 3 togetJier in a 

 cujJ-shaped bract. The petals very minute. Berry white, semi-transparent, 

 enclosing a single seed, surrounded by a very glutinous pulp. 



On a great variety of trees, but especially on the Ajjple, extending over 

 the whole of temperate Europe, from Sweden to the Mediterranean, and far 

 into Asia, but not everywhere abmidant. Common in southern and espe- 

 cially western England ; rare in tlie north, and not known in Scotland or 

 Ireland. Fl. spring. 



XXXVII. THE CORNEL FAMILY. COENACE^. 



Limited in Europe to tlie single genus Cornel, with whicli 

 are associated two or three allied tropical genera, scarcely dif- 

 fering from the Aralia family, except in their erect, not climb- 

 ing habit, the more generally opposite leaves, and the more 

 complete union of the carpels and styles. 



Among the exotic genera cultivated in our gardens may be mentioned the 

 Japanese Avcuha (of which however we only possess the female) and the 

 Senthamiafragifera from the Himalaya. 



I. CORNSIi. COENUS. 



Trees, shrubs, or very rai-ely herbs, with opposite (or in one exotic species 

 alternate), undivided leaves, and rather small flowers in terminal coiymbs 

 without bracts, or in umbels or heads surrounded by bracts, which are 

 sometimes coloured and petal-like. Calyx, 4 small teeth round the summit 

 of the ovary. Petals 4, valvular in the bud. Stamens 4, alternating with 

 the petals. Style simple. Ovary 2-celled, with a single pendulous ovule in 



