24 



OROBANCHACE.E. 



Epiphegus. 



2. EPIPHEGUS. Nutt. gen. 2. p. 60 ; Endl. gen. 4182. BEECH-DROPS. 



[ From the Greek, cpi, upon, and phcgos, the beech ; because it grows on the roots of that tree.] 



Flowers polygamous ; the upper complete, but sterile ; the lower imperfect, fertile. Sterile 

 Fl. Calyx 5-toothed. Corolla tubular, compressed, curved ; upper lip emarginate ; lower 

 lip 3-toothed. Stamens as long as the corolla. Style exserted : ovary abortive. Fertile 

 Fl. Calyx 5-toothed. Corolla small, rarely expanding, 4-toothed, deciduous. Stamens 4, 

 all but one usually sterile. Ovary with a glandular disk on one side of the base : placentas 

 2, each 2-lobed. Capsule roundish-ovoid, gibbous, opening on the upper side. — Parasitic 

 on the roots of Beech trees. Stem virgately branched ; the branches simple, slender, 

 bearing scattered sessile flowers the whole length. 



1. Epiphegus Americana, Nutt. Beechdrops. Cancer-root. 



Nutt. I. c. ; Beck, hot. p. 260 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 377 ; Hook. fl. Bor.-Am. 2. p. 93 ; 

 Endl. iconogr. t. 80. E. Virginiana, Bart. fl. Phil. 2. p. 50 ; Torr. compend. p. 244. 

 Orobanche Virginiana, Linn. sp. 2. p. 633 ; Michx. fl. 2. p. 26 ; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 431 ; Ell. 

 si. 2. p. 136 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 245. 



Plant of a yellowish brown color, smooth, 6-10 inches high. Root somewhat tuberous 

 and fleshy, throwing off short branching fragile fibres, some of which form a connexion with 

 the roots of the beech, on which the plant is parasitic. Stem angular, branching from near 

 the base ; the branches erect, with lanceolate appressed scales at the base. Flowers rather 

 distant, scattered, nearly sessile ; the bracts acute. Sterile Fl. Calyx short, membrana- 

 ceous, with small acute teeth. Corolla half an inch long, slender, 2-lipped, white with purple 

 striae : lower lip without prominent ridges or palate underneath ; the teeth acute. Anthers 

 pubescent ; the cells distinct, mucronate. Style simple, curved : stigma capitate. Fertile 

 Fl. Calyx as in the sterile flowers. Upper part of the corolla at length separating from the 

 base, and lifted up by the enlarging ovary like a calyptra. Ovary ovate, increasing in size 

 with great rapidity after fertilization : style short, but distinct : stigma capitate. Capsule 

 opening like a cup after the seeds are discharged. Seeds very numerous, pale yellow, oblong, 

 striate. 



Shady beech woods. Fl. September. Fr. October. The whole plant is astringent, and 

 has long been celebrated as a remedy for cancers, dysentery and other diseases ; but its 

 virtues are greatly overrated. (See Wood <§• Bache, U. S. Dispens. app. 1098.) 



