which it had entirely covered in a thick mass, until it readied the smaller 
branches, from whence it spread to the top of the bush, giving it a very pleasing 
appearance; Aug. 27, 1833:” Mrs. Enw. J inner, Near Caesar’s Camp: 
Mr. W. A. Dki.amottf. — Bedfordsh. Common: Rev. C. Abbot. — Bucks; 
Hedges near E'on: Mr. Gotobi o. — Cambridgesh. Madingley, Barton. Oak- 
ington, and Swavesey : Rev. R. Rklha n. — Dorsetsh. On nettles about Bland- 
ford, on beans in Pimpern cornfield, and on vetches: Hr. Pui.teney. — Essex ; 
On nettles at Castle Hedingham : Mr. D. Turner. — Hatnpsh. In Hawley- 
lane : Mr. W. A. Delamotte. — Kent; Near Canlerbuiv, in a lane called 
Water-lane, near St. Stephens: Mr. J. Dix. — Leicestersh. On nettles near 
Leicester, but not common : Dr. Pulteni y. — Somersetsh. Near Bath: Rev. 
C. C. Babincton . — Surrey ; On hops in a hedge near Thorpe, by Egham ; 
Mr. D. Wicks. — Sussex; In hedges at Portslade and at Pangdean near 
Brighton ; nowand then infields of vetches: Mr BoRiton. — Warwicksh. Flax- 
fidds about Packington : Counitss of Aylesford. Near Allesley : Rev. W. 
J . Bree, in Loud. Mag of Nat. Hist. v. iii.p. 163. — Worcester sh . At Shipslon- 
upon-Stour: Rev. Dr. Jones. Batsey, and South Littleton: Mr. Purton, in 
Midi. FI. — SCOTLAND. Musselburgh near Edinburgh: Mr. P. Neill. — 
IRELAND: Mr. J. T. Mackay. 
Annual. — Flowers in August and September. 
Root simple, small and slender, dying as soon as the stem has 
attached itself to some other plant. Stem thread-shaped, reddish, 
smooth, branched, twining, from right to left, round the stems of 
other plants, to the height of 2 or 3 feet, attaching itself to them 
by means of short, downy, root-like tubercles, which penetrate the 
epidermis of the foster plant, from which it derives its nourish- 
ment. Leaves none. Flowers in dense roundish heads, whitish, 
nearly sessile. Calyx reddish, usually 5-cleft. Tube of the Co- 
rolla bell-shaped, becoming globose, destitute of scales in the 
throat. Limb short, cut into 5, sometimes only 4, spreading seg- 
ments, permanent as well as the stamens, which are generally 5. 
Germen globular. Styles short, reddish. Stigmas acute. Capsule 
nearly globular, pellucid, reticulated, and invested with the dry 
corolla. Seeds rounded, rough with very small elevated tubercles. 
About 20 years ago, 1 saw, at Cassington, near Oxford, a large field of 
beans completely matted together with this parasite ; it had taken possession of 
the whole crop, and having elevated itself several inches above the beans, pro- 
duced a very beautiful effect, especially when the sun shone upon it. When it 
prevails so extensively as in this instance, it must he a very serious evil lo the 
farmer. In the first, volume of Loudon’s Gardners’ Magazine, (pp. 79 & 197,) 
we are informed, that crops of Lucern are sometimes very much injured by this 
parasite in France and Italy. The farmers there find the best methods of de- 
stroying it to be, “ either by cutting the Lucern frequently early in the season, 
and thus preventing the Dodder from fixing itself, or by paring or burning the 
surface, and thus destroying at once both the Lucern and the seeds of the para- 
site.” The fresh plant boiled in water, with a little ginger and allspice, operates 
as an aperient. Hill. 
The Natural Order Con volvula'ce.e, consists of dicotyledonous Herbaceous 
plants or shrubs, whose stems are usually twining, and milky, smooth, or with 
a simple pubescence. Their leaves (except in cuscuta, which is destitute of 
them,) are alternate, undivided, or lobed, seldom pinnatifid, with no stipulas. 
Their inflorescence (modes of flowering) axillary or terminal ; peduncles 
(flouer-stalks) 1- or many-flowered, the partial ones generally with 2 brac- 
teas. Their calyx is inferior, permanent, and 5-cleft. Their corolla is hypo- 
gynous (infeiior), of 1 petal, regular, deciduous ; its limb 5-lobed, and generally 
plaited. Their stamens are 5, inserted into the base of the corolla, and alter- 
nate with the segments. The ovarium (germen) is simple, and supported 
upon an angular iivpogynous disk, and has from 2 to 4 cells containing a small 
number of ovules. Style one, usually divided at the top, sometimes down to 
the base; stigmas blunt or pointed. The capsule has from 1 to 4 cells; the 
valves fitting, at their edges, to the angles of a loose dissepiment, bearing the 
seeds at its base ; sometimes the capsule remains closed, or opens transversely. 
The embryo, of which the cotyledons are flat and plicate, is rolled upon itself, 
'and placed in the centie of a soft and, as it were, mucilaginous albumen. See 
Lind. Syn. and Rich, by Ma'cgillivray. 
1 lie only British Genera in this order are Convolvulus, t. 58 ; and Cuscuta. 
In the latter the embryo has no cotyledons. 
