PARASITIC PLANTS. 189 
other plants ; and as they are found to increase with much 
greater luxuriance in the recesses of the forest, by the 
banks of streams, in a sultry, humid atmosphere, we see 
less difficulty in comprehending the possibilities of their 
growth and the economy of their being; indeed, their na- 
ture is now so well understood, that they are cultivated 
with ease in our conservatories. 
We do not, however, intend to write of air-plants, as 
our country produces none; but we have, among our na- 
tive plants, those whose methods of growth are perhaps 
scarcely less novel and wonderful; such as our parasites, 
which derive their nourishment from other living plants 
to which they adhere,—depending upon the leaves and 
roots of such plants for the necessary contact with the 
atmosphere and the soil. 
The name Parasite is of great significance, for such 
plants are robbers in the fullest sense, and live solely at 
the expense of their neighbors. 
The most marked example in this region of such anom- 
alous plants is the Dodder. Our species, the Cuscuta 
Gronovii (O. umbrosa Torrey, or C. vulgivaga Engle- 
mann) is as strongly marked,and more widely distributed 
than either of the other American species. 
The genus Cuscuta has generally been appended to 
the Convolvulacee, or the Convolvulus tribe, which con- 
sists chiefly of twining plants, and have regular monope- 
talous pentandrous corollas, and two to four-celled cap- 
sules, with large seeds. This order is well represented by 
the Cypress vine and the Morning-glory. 
The Cuscutas have no leaves, for these plants need 
none; all the necessary functions of leaves, as has been 
stated, being performed by the leaves of other plants on 
which they grow. They have, however, a few minute . 
