

PHANEROGAMS — PROFESSOR BAYLEY BALFOUR. 207 



Order LIL OROBANCHACE^. 



A small order of parasitic herbs found in most parts of the globe. Most 

 abundant in extratropical regions of the northern hemisphere, but a few species 

 are tropical, and some occur in the southern hemisphere. Both Socotran genera 

 are confined to the old world. 



1. CISTANCHE. 



Cistanche, Hoffm. et Link Flor. Port. i. 318, t. 63 ; Benth. et Hook. Gen. PI. ii. 983. 



A small old world genus, with a distribution limited to the Mediterranean 

 region, and west tropical Asia and tropical Africa. 



1. C. lutea, Hoffm. et Link. Flor. Port. i. 319, t. 63. 



Phclipcea lutea, Desf. Atl. ii. 61, t. 146 ; Renter in DC. Prod. xi. 13; Boiss. Flor. Orient, iv. 

 500. 



Soeotra. Abundant about Galonsir on species of Boerhaavia and other 

 hosts. B.C.S. n. 170. 



Distrib. Canary Islands and Mediterranean region to Arabia and Persia ; 

 also tropical Africa. 



In the date groves, not at all an uncommon plant. 



2. C. tubulosa, Wight Ic. t. 1420 Us. 



Phelipcea titbidosa, Schenk. PI. iEgypt. Arab. 23 ; Reuter in DC. Prod. xi. 12 ; Boiss. Flor. 

 Orient, iv. 500. 



Soeotra. Near Galonsir. B.C.S. n. 163. 



Distpjb. Arabia, Scindh, Afghanistan, and northern India. 



A specimen we have referred to this species is in a very much decomposed 

 condition, and affords very poor material for examination, and I have some 

 doubt of the identification. 



2. OROBANCHE. 



Orobanche, Linn. Gen. n. 779 ; Benth. et Hook. Gen. PI. ii. 984. 



The largest genus of the order and of wide range in the north temperate 

 regions of the old world, much rarer in the tropics and southern hemisphere, 

 and absent from the new world. 



1. O. (Osproleon) abyssinica, Ach. Rich. Tent. Flor. Abyss, ii. 137. 



Nom. Vern. 'Ebbehat (Schweinf.). 



Soeotra. Frequent on Haghier. B.C.S. h. 333. Schweinf. n. 539. 



Distkib. Abyssinia. 



Our Socotran plant answers well Richard's description, and ressmbles 



