(40.) 
VI'SCUM*. 
Linnean Class and Order. Dice'cia, Tetra'ndria. 
Natural Order. Lora'nthea 2 , Rich, and Juss. — Lindl. Syn. 
p. 133 ; Introd. to Nat. Syst. p. 208. — Rich, by Macgilliv. p. 461. — 
Loud. Hort. Brit. p. 519 . — Lora'nthiNjE, sect. L<" rantha'cete, 
Burnett’s Outlines of Bot. pp. 763 & 764 . — Caprifolia, Juss. 
Gen. PI. p. 210. 
Gen. Char. Barren Flowers (fig. 1.) ; Calyx obsolete. Corolla 
of 1 petal, in 4 deep, egg-shaped, pointed, equal segments. Fila- 
ments none. Anthers 4, egg-shaped, compressed, sessile on the base 
of each segment of the corolla, all over pitted, or cellular. Fertile 
Flowers (fig. 2.) ; Calyx a slight border. Corolla of 4, egg-shaped, 
equal, deciduous petals. Germen inferior, egg-shaped, crowned 
with the calyx. Style none. Stigma blunt. Berry globular, smooth, 
juicy, viscid, of 1 cell. Seed 1, heart-shaped, compressed. Em- 
bryos 1 or 2, sometimes 3, (fig. 4.) 
One species British. 
VI'SCUM A'LBUM. White, or Common Misseltoe. Missel. 
Spec. Char. Leaves inversely egg-spear-shaped, blunt. Stem 
forked, with sessile, intermediate heads, of about 5 flowers. 
Eng. Bot. t. 1470. — Woodv. Med. Bot. Suppl. t. 270. — Linn. Sp. PI. p. 1451. 
— Huds. FI. Angl. (2nd ed.) p. 431. — Sm. FI. Brit. v. iii. p. 1074 Eng. FI. v. iv. 
p.236. — With. (7th ed.) v. ii. p 240. — Gray’s Nat. Arr. v. ii. p.492. — Lindl. 
Syn. p. 133. — Hook. Br. FI. p. 434. — Sibth. FI. Oxon. p. 63. — Abbot’s FI. Bedf. 
p. 214. — Purt. Mid. FI. v. ii. p. 474. — Relh. FI. Cant. (3rd ed.) p. 406. — Hook. 
FI. Scot, p.288. — FI. Devon, pp. 159 & 164. — Walk. FI. of Oxf. p. 295. — Bab. 
FI. Bath. p. 22. — Viscum , Ray’s Syn. p. 464. — Johnson’s Gerarde, 1350. 
Localities. — P arasitical on trees, especially on the Apple-tree fPyrus ma- 
lus) ; the White-thorn (Cratayus oxyacanthaj ; the Lime (Tilia europaa J ; 
the Maple ( Acer campestre, t. 98.J ; the Ash ( Fraxinus excelsior) ; the 
Poplar; and the Willow ; very rarely on the oak. — Oxfordsh. Near Bland’s 
Court: Dr. Sibthorp. On old apple-trees at Ibston, near Stokenchurch : 1824, 
W. B. — Berks; About Appleton, on willows: Miss Hoskins. East Hamstead 
Park, on the white-thorn. On oaks at Sand-pit Gate, Windsor Forest ; and on 
Crispin oak, Winkfield Plain : Mr. W. A. Delamotte. — Bedfordsh. On trees, 
common: Rev. C. Abbot. — Bucks ; On the left hand side of the road going 
from High Wycombe to West Wycombe, on the White-thorn (Cratcegus 
oxyacanthaj ; the Black-thorn (Prunus spinosa J ; and the Crab-tree fPyrus 
malusj ; and on Apple-trees at Long Wick: Mr. P. B. Ayres, April, 1833. — 
Cambridgesh. On various trees: Rev. R. Relh an. — Denbighsh. BrynkinaltPark, 
on oaks: Mr. Barrett. — Devon ; In an orchard at Holcombe Rogers, ( Regis 1) 
on the borders of Somersetshire : Rev. R. Neck, in FI. Devon. — Gloucestersh. 
Common in this county. In Babminton Park, on the Hawthorn, the Crab, and 
the Maple, in great abundance : Mr. J. Robinson, Gardener, Wadham College. 
On a Beech-tree, 1832 : G. W. Sandys, Esq. Pembroke College.— Hampsh. 
Observed in this county by Mr. W. Pamplin, jun. — Herefordsh. Common in 
this county, both on orchard and hedge-row fruit-trees: Dr. Withering. — 
Kent; On trees in this county: ibid. — Northumberland ; On trees near Bed- 
lington, the only station in the district: Mr. Winch. — Somersetsh. Not uncom- 
mon on Apple-trees ; in an orchard a little beyond the bridge on the road to 
Box, in great plenty : Rev. C. C. Babington. — Warwicksh. Norbrooke : Mr. 
W. G. Perry. — Worcestersh. Common in this county : Dr. Withering. 
a. A branch of a barren plant. — b. Ditto of a fertile one. — Fig. 1. A stamen- 
bearing Corolla. — Fig. 2. A pistil bearing ditto. — Fig. 3. A Berry cut through 
transversely. — Fig. 4. A Seed divided vertically, showing the double embryo. — 
Fig. 5. An embryo, magnified. — F’ig. 6. A Seed after it has germinated, showing 
the manner in which it produces the radicles, and attaches them to the bark. 
* From the yEoIIc Biskos, tenacious; from the adhesive property of the 
berries, or plant. Withering. 
