514 THE VEGETABLE WORLD. 
the Mistletoe, according to Decaisne, the ovule does not appear till 
three months after the pollen has taken effect. Griffiths, who has 
also minutely studied Loranthus, states that the ripe seeds adhere - 
firmly to the substance on which they are applied, by means of 
their viscid coating, which hardens into a transparent glue, and in 
two or three days after application the radicle curves towards its 
support, becoming enlarged and flattened as soon as it reaches it. 
By degrees a union is formed between the woody system of the 
parasite and stock, the fibres of the sucker-like root of the former 
expanding on the wood of the latter in the form of a bird’s foot. 
Up to this time the parasite has been nourished by its own albumen, 
but as soon as it has acquired the height of one or two inches a 
lateral shoot is sent out, which adheres to the stock by means of 
sucker-like productions, which frequently run to a considerable 
distance, covering the tree with parasites. _ - 
Mr. Myers, who has carefully studied the order, draws a dis- 
tinction between Loranthus and Viscum. The former distinguished 
by its large, showy, dichlamydeous, crimson flowers, with length- 
ened stamens, and an ovary containing a solitary ovule, suspended 
from the summit of a cell, with a large fleshy cotyledon. Viscim, 
on the contrary, having small, pale, diccious, monochlamydeous 
flowers, with stamens sessile, or nearly so, different in structure, 
with dissimilar pollen; a unilocular, turbinate ovarium, with 
__ thrge ovules attached to a free central placenta. On these grounds 
he founds the new order Viscacz.%, or Mistletoe. 
The Mistletoe is supposed to be propagated by birds, especially 
by the Fieldfare and Misselthrush, which feed on the berries. The 
Re eet tt ee = 
mode in which the propagation of Myzodendron is effected is also | 
clearly demonstrated by Dr. Hooker. Here the fruit is provided 
with long, feathery processes, analogous to the pappus of the Com- 
positeze, which floats them in the air, and afterwards assists to hold — 
them on to the branches while the radicle insinuates itself into the 
plant. The genera of the order are very limited: Viscum and 
Arceuthobium, which are confined to Europe ; Myzodendron and 
Lepidoceras to. the southern parts of Chili; Eubrachion to the 
banks of the Uruguay; and Phoradendron, numerous in species, 
which is disseminated over the tropical regions of the Old and 
New World. oe 
