190 PARASITIC PLANTS. 
scales in alternate succession, which are in place of leaves, 
and from their axils spring the branches. (See Fig. 1.) 
Although so anomalous as these plants are supposed to 
be, yet the right of being perfect plants must be conecded 
them, and they are properly assigned a place with other 
Convolvuli. 
Eight or nine species grow freely in this country, two 
of which are found in New England. 
O. epilinum, or the Flax Dodder of the old world, 
mentioned by Gerard and more ancient writers, is natu- 
ralized here to some extent. It is said to grow only upon 
flax, to which it is a great pest, spoiling large quantities. 
It was noticed by Dr. Cutler as being destructive in his 
time ; but as that useful plant is now seldom cultivated in 
this region, the Flax Dodder is but rarely detected. A 
monograph of the American species, prepared by Dr. 
George Englemann, of St. Louis, can be found in Silli- 
man’s Journal, vols. 43, p. 333, and 45, p. 73. 
~ Under the name O. Americana, the various native spe- 
cies were for a long time confounded. The botanical 
text-books tell us that the seeds of this strange plant 
germinate 'in the earth in the ordinary manner, throwing 
downward a root into the soil, by which for a short time 
the tender plantlet is sustained, until it elongates its 
thread-like stem sufficiently to reach some foster-plant, 
around which it immediately twines, and into whose 
tender bark it thrusts aerial roots, which feed upon its 
juices; after which, no longer needing attachment to 
the soil, the primitive root withers away. 
- After many times plucking the cord-like stems of 
this plant, and noticing the decisive development of 
its flowers and seed (for they are as perfect as upon 
leaf-clad plants), we resolved to prove, with our own 
