botanically arranged. 413 



lities of this tree seem, by no means, to be accurately ascer- 

 tained. It is, probably, possessed of very valuable properties. 



CUSCUTA. Linn. Gen. Plant. 156. 



Cuscuta Jioribus pedunculatis. Syst. Nat. 



DODER. Devir s Guts. Among flax. July. 



This plant is well known to farmers, who often have their 

 fields of flax greatly injured by its twining about the stalks. It 

 is parasitical. When it has ascended the stalk of flax, or what- 

 ever plant is next to it, a number of very small papillae are sent 

 off from the inner surface of the vine, which insinuate them- 

 selves into the bark of the plant. The root then decays, and 

 it receives its nourishment from the plant which it twines about. 

 The whole plant is bitter ; and it affords a pale reddish colour. 



TRAILING COCKSPUR. Calix none ; except the corolla be 

 called the calix. Corolla one petal ; flat ; coloured without 

 and within. Limb deeply divided into four ovate acuminated 

 segments. Deciduous. Stamina four short, filiform, erect 

 filaments ; standing upon the corolla. Antherce globular. Ger- 

 men below ; double. Stiles two ; erect ; passing through the 

 base of the corolla. Stigmata globular. Two seeds, or nuts, 

 contained in a rind thick set with hooked spines. 



The generic characters of this plant approach those of the 

 Aphanes, but seem so essentially to differ as not to admit its be- 

 ing placed under that genus. 



The stem trailing ; four square ; the edges tumid, and beset 

 with short, hooked spines. Leaves lanceolate ; six at a joint. 

 Blossoms reddish white ; placed in the axillce of the leaves. 

 Borders of brooks and ditches. August. 



UPRIGHT 



