550 XCVI. LORANTHACEjE [LorantJms 



A large parasite, as a rule wholly glabrous, branches numerous, bark grey. 

 L. thick-coriaceous, usually opposite, extremely variable in shape, generally 

 broad-ovate, sec. n. obscure. M. 1-2J in. long, in unilateral racemes, calyx- 

 tube produced beyond the glabrous ovary, truncate or with short sharp teeth. 

 Corolla curved, tube scarlet or orange, sometimes pink or white, lobes 5, linear, 

 green or yellow. Anther linear, equal in length to the free portion of filament. 

 Berry J- 1 - in., oblong, pulpy, crowned by the cup-shaped calyx. 



The most common of the Indian species. Subhiinalayan tract from the Jhelum 

 eastwards, ascending to 7,500 ft. in Kumaon. Bengal. Central India. Singbhum, 

 chiefly on Sal. Both Peninsulas. Fl. Nov.-July. On many kinds of trees, commonly 

 on the Mango, the branches on which it grows swell, get sickly and eventually die. 

 Three very marked varieties : (a) amplexifolia. Western Peninsula and Ceylon. L. 

 large, sessile almost amplexicaul, inflorescence of ten terminal, (b) falcata. Anantapiir. 

 Mysore. Nellore. Sea coast from Sriharikotu to Tinnevelli. Often on Albizzia amara. 

 Ceylon. L. narrow linear, fl. 1 in. long, (c) p> u bescens. Chanda district. Western 

 Peninsula. L. oblong or elliptic-oblong, corolla in bud, peduncle and pedicels minutely 

 pubescent. Closely allied and possibly not specifically distinct : 22. L. sarcopnyllus, 

 Wall. Nilgiris. 23. L. elegans, Wall. Irawadi near Yenangyaung. 



24. L. euneatus, Heyne. Western Ghats and Western Penins. Ceylon low country, 

 common. Youngest shoots silky, otherwise glabrous. L. alternate cuneate or obovate, 

 i-lj in. long, narrowed into a short petiole. Fl. J-1J in. long, pedicelled, in axillaiw 

 fascicles. Fr. elongate-ovoid, J— J long, crimson. 



(b) ~E\. finely pubescent, corolla-lobes twice the length of tube. 



25. L. pentandrus, Linn. Silhet. Chittagong. Upper Burma. Pegu. Tenasserim. 

 Malay Penins. and Archip. L. usually alternate, glabrous, coriaceous, elliptic, blade 

 3-6, narrowed into pet. J-A in. long. Fl. §— 1 in. long, in short axillary often fascicled 

 racemes, corolla green without, yellow within, tube campanulate, lobes 4 or 5, linear, 

 the upper half reflexed. Fr. J in. long, crowned by the cupnlar 5-toothed calyx- 

 limb. 



(c) PI. glabrous, corolla-lobes as long as or longer than tube. Western 

 species. 



26. L. neelgherrensis, W. & A. — Syn. L. pyranthus, Wight Ic. t. 1020. Nilgiris. — 

 Ceylon moist region. Branches stout, nodes much thickened, 1. thickly coriaceous, 

 opposite and alternate, usually ovate or ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, blade 3-6 in., narrowed 

 into stout pet. \ in. long, sec. n. distinct, the lowest pairs frequently from near the base. 

 Fl . scarlet, 1 in. long, in short, often fascicled corymbs, calyx-limb short, truncate, corolla 

 straight, not split, lobes as long as tube, at first cohering at the top, afterwards the 

 upper half reflexed. 27. L. memecylifolius, Wight & Arn. Nilgiris. Mysore. L. 

 opposite and alternate, glabrous, lanceolate, 1—4 in. long, narrowed into a short petiole. 

 Fl. 1-1J in. long, in shortly pedunculate fascicles, corolla slender, lobes as long as or 

 longer than tube. 28. L. elasticus, Desrouss. ; Wight Ic. t. 343. — Syn. L. Eupliorbiai, 

 Wight Ic. t. 1063. West coast and Ghats from the Konkan southwards. Quite 

 glabrous, 1. opposite, branches dichotoinous. L. thickly coriaceous, elliptic, sessile, 

 2-4 in. long, basal n. 3-5. Fl. 1 in. long, sessile, in axillary fascicles. Corolla-lobes 5, 

 linear, much longer than tube, twisted spirally, as also the long filaments. Fr. ovoid 

 red, J in. long. 



(d) M. tomentose, 1. alternate, not exceeding 3 in. in length. Western 

 species. 



29. L. tomentosus, He3~ne. Nilgiris and other hills of the Western Peninsula. — 

 Ceylon. Branches and underside of 1. rusty -tomentose. L. elliptic or obovate, blade 1-3, 

 pet. \ in. Fl. J in. long, in axillary fascicles, densely rusty villous with hispid hairs. 30. 

 L. gibbosus, Talbot Bombay List, ed. ii. 289. Dade, Kan. Konkan and North Kanara 

 Ghat Forests. Similar to 29, branches scaly-tomentose, long, pendent. Corolla inflated 

 and gibbous near the base, without hispid hairs,fr. pink, ovoid § in. long. 31. L. bracteatus, 

 Heyne. — Syn. L. tomentosus, Wight Ic. t. 378. Western Peninsula, from Karnul south- 

 wards. Branchlets, underside of young 1. and inflorescence clothed with thin grey or 

 buff tomentum, 1. orbicular or broad-elliptic, blade A-1J, pet. J-£ in. long. 32. L. 

 Stocksii, Hook. f. Konkan, rare. Similar to 31, but 1. sessile, fl. solitary or in few-fld. 

 fascicles, fr. pyriform. 33. L. recurvus, Wall. — Syn. L. CandoJleanus, Wight Ic. t. 305. 

 Nilgiris. L. elliptic or obovate, blade 1-2, narrowed into pet. J in. Fl. numerous, 

 | in. long, in dense axillary fascicles, corolla curved, lobes linear-oblong. 



II. No bracteoles, fl. in involucrate heads. 



34. L. lagenifenjs, Wight Ic. t. 306. Vern. Baudc/ali, Bindukli, Mar. Hills of the 

 Konkan, rare in the Thana district. North Kanara, common in deciduous forest. 



