DICOTYLEDONES. 187 



192. The Apetalse embrace those Dicotyledonous, or 

 Exogenous, plants whose flowers are destitute of a corolla, 

 or of both corolla and calyx. Of this group the most 

 interesting and important families are as follows : 



1. Santalaceae. The plants of this small family 

 (about two hundred species) are mostly parasitic herbs, 

 shrubs, or trees, in temperate and tropical regions. The 

 ovule is destitute of integuments ; our common representa- 

 tive is the Eastard Toad-Flax (^Comandra umbellaia). 

 The Sandal wood-tree of South Asia, a tree about twenty- 

 five feet high, furnishes a dark-red wood, used in cabinet- 

 making, and for incense-burning in Buddhist temples. 

 Species from the Pacific Islands also furnish Sandalwood. 



2. Loranthaceae. The Mistletoe family comprise 

 parasitic evergreens, which live on other Dicotyledons. 

 Their flowers are quite insignificant, more reduced than 

 those of the previous family. The four hundred and fifty 

 species are mostly tropical. . The Mistletoe of Europe 

 {Viscum album) grows on the Apple, and a few other trees. 

 It has viscid berries, used in making bird-lime. The plant 

 is generally used in England for Christmas decoration, 

 and was formerly held -sacred by the Druids. The 

 American Mistletoe (Phoradendron flavescens), growing on 

 the Elm, Walnut, Wild Cherry, etc., occurs in the Southern 

 States. 



3. Cupuliferse. The Oak family, with about three 

 hundred species of trees and shrubs, with simple leaves, 

 mostly in the Northern Hemisphere, furnishes an impor- 

 tant part of the wood used for fuel and in the manufacture 

 of implements and utensils, houses, ships, etc. The sterile 

 flowers are in slender catkins (Fig. 299). Tlie fruit is a 

 nut or acorn, surrounded by a scaly, indurated cup or 



