PLANTS COLLECTED BY DR. GAMBEL. 185 



*PHORADENDRON.t 



P. *CALiFORNicuM. Leafless ; stem and elongated branches terete ; sheathing scales bifid, segments ovate 

 acute ; berries round and few, opposite, sessile in marginal cup-shaped receptacles. 



Branches a foot or more in length, sometimes dichotomous by abortion, but with the 

 branches or branchlets usually opposite. Male spikes very short, as well as those of 

 the female ; the scales a little pubescent and acute, nearly two-parted on the stem. 

 The first pair of scales on the male spike, subtends six flowers, or two on a side. 

 Berries white ? and small, sessile in cup-shaped depressions of the rachis, the summit 

 of the berry marked with the small three-cleft divisions of the acute calyx. Petals 

 none. 



Hab. In the mountains of Upper California. Parasitic on the trunks and 

 branches of a Stromhocarpus. 



This plant agrees exactly in its character with Viscum Jiavescens, and these, with 

 several other American species, ought to constitute a genus distinct from the 

 V. album of Europe ; distinguished by the ordinary distinct two-celled anthers of 

 the male flowers, which are globular, mostly trifid, rarely bifid or quadrifid, the 

 anther opens by two large terminal pores or foramina, and without filament, is 

 attached to the sides of the three-sided torus at the base of the calyx, the anther only 

 being free. In the female there is no vestige of corolla, a persistent calyx of three, rarely 

 four minute triangular clefts, adhering to the summit of the globular or ovate berry ; 

 the style is extremely short, almost sessile iti the centre of a triangular fleshy disJv, 

 which also as well as the style exists in the male flower. These plants appear to be 

 wholly American, extending from the State of Delaware to the tropics, and to a very 

 considerable distance through the southern hemisphere ; branches usually opposite or 

 verticellate, rarely aphyllous. 



To this genus I would refer the present plant P. calif or nicum, the Viscum Jlavescens, 

 V. villosum, V. trinervium, V. huxifolium, V. saururoides, V. tereticaule, V. 

 martinicense, V. crassifolium, V. leptostachyum, V. perottetii, V. hrachystachjum, 

 V. ruhrum, V. herterianum, V. schottii, V. macrostachyon, V. piperoides, V. 

 angustifolium, V. affine, V. ensifnliiim, V. veliitijium, V. interruptum, these and most 

 of the other American species will probably arrange with the preceding in this 

 genus. The V. stellatum of Nepal, which I have examined, appears to be a true 

 congener with the V. album, as well as V. orienlale, though in the latter I have found 

 but two adnate anthers, to four petals. A true Viscum also appears to exist in China 

 near Canton. 



t From t"P a '/««/; and htvhfov a tree; in allusion to their parasitic habit. 



