INTRODUCtlOiSr 



5 



plants. Gaja-pipul {Scindapsus officinalis) (see fig. 

 267) is another good example of an epiphyte. It is 

 terrestrial to begin with, but subsequently becomes 

 detached from the soil and becomes wholly epiphytic. 

 Several species of Ferns and Mosses also are epi- 

 phytes. 



As examples of parasites may be mentioned alak- 

 lata or haldi-algusi or 

 Dodder (Cuscutd) (fig; 

 4), a thin, wiry, leaf- 

 less plant, of whitish- 

 yellow colour, often 

 seen twining upon 

 other plants and kill- 

 ing them by its luxuri- 

 ant growth. It is also 

 terrestrial to begin 

 with, and becomes 

 subsequently parasitic 

 after being detached 

 from the soil. Other 

 examples are Akas- 

 bael (Cassythd) (see 

 fig. 244), similar to 

 alak-lata, butgreenish 

 in colour; bania-bau {Orobanche cernua and Orobanche 

 indicd) (see Plate VIII, fig. b), which are parasitic on 

 the roots of begoon or Brinjal and tamak or Tobacco, 

 and are destructive to the crops ; barha-manda and 

 chhdta-manda {Loranthus), a much-branched bushy 

 plant that grows on Mango and other trees ; chandan 

 or Sandal-wood tree, a root parasite; various kinds 

 of chhata or Fungi, which are parasitic on crops, 

 and give rise to many plant-diseases (e.g. the potato 

 disease) that often kill the plant. 



Fig. 4, — Alak-lata or Dodder {Cusctda reflexa) 



