167 
GASSYTHA FILIFORMIS. 
Filiform Cassytha, 
ENEANDEIA MONOGYNIA— Nat. Ord. LAURINEJE. 
Get*. Char. — Perianthium sexfidum, tubo brevissimo, limbo laciniis tribus 
exterioribus nanis. Stamina duodecim, duplice ordine, interiorum tria 
laciniis interioribus opposita sterilia ; tria reliqua basi biglandulosa. 
Antherce biloculares. Pericarpium tectum tubo perianthii aucto, baccato, 
apice pervio, laciniisque coronatum. 
Suffrutices vel Herbae aphyllce, voluhiles, parasiticce. Flores spicati, tribrac- 
teati, bracteis parvis persistentibus. — Br. 
Cassytha jiliformis ; caulibus glabris pedunculis pubescentibus pauci- 
floris. 
C. filiformis, Linn. Sp. PI. p. 530.'--Willd. Sp, PI v. ii. p. 487. 
Phnt with very much the habit of a Cuscuta; the stems filiform, climbing 
and twisting around other plants, and around itself, scarcely branched, 
quite glabrous, deriving nourishment from the individual to which it is 
attached by means of a few small roots or suckers ; entirely destitute of 
leaves. 
Peduncles distantly placed, alternate, generally broader upwards, with two 
or three minute scales at the base, and a few remote flowers. Bracteas of 
three minute roundish scales, closely appressed to the base of the pe- 
rianth, and alternating with its outer segments, the edges slightly ci- 
liated. Perianth of one piece, at first not apparently tubular at the base, 
deeply divided into six segments, three outer and three inner; the 
former very small, much resembling in shape, and scarcely exceeding 
in length, the bracteas ; ciliated at the margin, appressed to the inner 
segments: inner ones much longer, ovate, concave, fleshy. Stamens 
twelve, in two rows : the six outer ones the largest, but alternately 
smaller (the smaller ones opposite to the petals), their anthers opening 
inwards : inner ones placed face to face with the outer ; of these, three 
alternate are perfect, but less than the smaller ones of the external row, 
their anthers opening externally, and having a pair of small glands at 
their base, one on each side, the three remaining ones very minute, abor- 
tive. Filaments clavate, compressed. Anthers of two distinct cells, im- 
bedded in the substance of the filaments, and opening with valves, as 
in the genera Laurus and Berberis. Germen ovato-globose. Style ta- 
pering. Stigma obtuse. 
Fruit a whitish Drtipe, the fleshy coat being formed by the thickened and 
much enlarged tube of the perianth ; having at its base the three mi- 
VOL. II. 
