FAMILIES OF FLOWERING PLANTS. 87 
highly prized at Yuletide than the American variety, as its berries are 
much larger, and of a pearly white color. 
Fie. 71.—The European mistletoe ( Vis- 
cum album) one-half natural size. Origi- 
nal, 
Family Santalaceae. 
The host-plants of the mistle- 
toes are quite varied in character. 
Some species confine themselves to a 
single variety of shrub or tree; thus 
one is found on the southwestern 
juniper (Juniperus pachyphioea). 
Others, like the common Phoraden- 
dron, are not at all partial, growing 
on sour gums, maples or even oaks. 
This family has no economic 
use, although a kind of bird lime is 
sometimes prepared from the berries 
of European species. 
_ Family Myzodendraceae. An- 
other group of parasitic plants close- 
ly allied to the Loranthaceae, and 
consisting of about 10 South Amer- 
ican species. 
Sandalwood Family. Contains about 
26 genera and 250 species, mainly 
tropical. They are herbs, shrubs or 
occasionally trees, frequently half-par- 
asitic on the roots of other plants, but 
not growing wholly exposed like the 
Loranthaceae. The flowers, which are 
variously clustered, have only a calyx; 
they are monoecious, dioecious or per- 
fect. The stamens are 8 to 6, inserted 
opposite the calyx-lobes. The ovary 
is inferior and one-celled as in the Lor- 
anthaceae; but it becomes in fruit a 
drupe (stone-fruit) or nut. 
In this country we have several 
familiar herbs of the genus Comandra, 
and known as bastard toad-flax, which 
belong to this family. They have ter- 
‘ 
Fig. 72.,—The Pale Bastard Toad-flax 
(Comandra pallida), one-third natural 
size. Original, 
