92 EXGLISn BOTANY. 
Steins very slender, generally bright red or purple. Clusters 
of flowers approximate, sessile, generally tinged with rose-colour, 
particularly on the calyx, occasionally 4-cleft and with 4 stamens, 
as in the preceding species, but more generally 5-merous. 
The large fimbriated scales which converge and nearly hide the 
ovary, distinguish this plant well from small forms of the pre- 
ceding; to which may be added the acute calyx-segments and 
shorter corolla with acute lobes. The flowers are about half the 
size, and the heads not larger than peas even when in fruit. 
Lesser Dodder. 
French, Cuscute d Petites Fleurs. German, Quendel Seide. 
This plant often looks very pretty, as it lies in patches on furze, heath, or 
other plant which it may attack. Its red threads are so delicate and attractive 
in appearance, that a casual observer would scarcely imagine how mischievous they 
aii'. Well is it called in country districts "strangle weed." At first it appears in 
little patches, but in a week will cover a space as large as a barn door. The whole 
tribe have strong acrid qualities, and have been used in medicine, but with no good 
results. The Dodder found growing on the thyme, " Thyme Dodder," as it was 
called, was carefully stowed away as a remedy against " cold greefes " and " trembling 
of the heart," and was believed to partake of some of the stimulating nature of 
thyme. Culpepper tells us, in summing up the virtues of the Dodder, that it cures by 
sympathy j and he adds, — " Sympathy and antipathy are the two hinges upon which 
the whole model of physick turns, and that physitian which minds them not, is like a 
door off from the hooks, more likely to do a man a mischief than to secure him." 
SPECIES (?) 1V.-CTJSCUTA THIFOLII. Bab. 
Plate DCCCCXXIX. 
Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 151. 
Stems threadlike, branched, reddish - yellow. Flowers sub- 
sessile or shortly-stalked, in compact sessile globular heads. Calyx 
funnel-shaped, white tipped with red; segments slightly fleshy, 
semi-transparent, lanceolate, acuminate, erect. Corolla as long- 
as the calyx ; tube funnel-shaped at the time of flowering ; limb 
spreading, as long as the tube; lobes triangular, acute, spreading; 
scales rather large, half as long as the tube of the corolla, in- 
curved, but not completely concealing the ovary. Stamens cx- 
serted. Styles 2, liliform, longer than the ovary ; stigmas linear. 
Parasitica] upon red clover. Not uncommon in England, but 
doubl less often passed over as C. Epithymum. Probably introduced 
with foreign seed. 
[England, Scotland.] Annual. Late Summer. 
