164 
CXXIV. LORANTHACE.E, 
[Viscum. 
8. VISCUM, Linn. 
Parasitic shrubs dull green, on trees or on other Loranthacea ; 
branches 2- to 3-chotomous, internodes often flattened. Leaves 
opposite, fleshy, coriaceous or reduced to small scales. Flowers 
unisexual, small, fascicled, solitary or in threes in axils or on the 
nodes; bracts small; bracteoles 2, free or connate in a cup. 
Perianth-tube adnate to ovary in female, solid in male; lobes 4, 
short, ovate or triangular. Stamens adnate to them. Ovary 
i-celled; ovules 1 or more; stigma sessile. Fruit a succulent, 
sticky drupe usually white. Species about 30, all regions. 
Leafy shrubs parasitic on trees. 
Leaves oblong coriaceous, upper branchlets terete . (1) V. orientale 
Leaves obovate, very thick, upper branchlets flat . (2) V. Wrayi 
Leafless shrubs parasitic on Loranthace&, brittle 
jointed. 
Joints-25 in. wide; flowers fairly large . . (3) V. dichotomum 
Joints *13 in. wide; flowers very small . . (4) V. articulatum 
Joints *05 in. wide; flowers minute . . - (5) V. flexuosum 
(1) V. orientale Willd. Sp. PL iv. 737; Bl. FI. Jav. Loran - 
ihacece, i.t. 24, 25; Gamble, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. l.c. 386. 
A bushy mistletoe; branchlets terete, dichotomous or opposite. 
Leaves opposite, coriaceous, obovate or oblong or linear-oblong, 
blunt, base narrowed; nerves 3 to 5 from base; 1*5 to 2-5 in. long, 
1 to 1-25 in. wide; petioles very short or 0. Flowers in clusters 
of 1 to 3 with 2 ovate bracts connate, very small. Drupe white, 
as large as a pea. Hab. Common. Parasite on Ficus Benjamina 
and other, trees, Singapore, Gardens, etc. Malacca, Merlimau. 
Perak, Gunong Batu Putih (Wray); Thaiping Hills at 2000 ft. 
altitude. 
var. ovalifolium Miq. Leaves larger up to 3 in. long. Flowers 
solitary in involucres and more numerous in fascicles, Malacca, 
Tanjong Kling. Perak (Scortechini). Penang Hill (Wailich). 
Kedah, Pulau Song Song (Curtis). Distrib. Indo-Malaya, China, 
Australia. 
(2) V. Wrayi Gamble, Kew Bulletin, 1913, p. 47; Journ. As. 
Soc. Beng. l.c. 387. 
Branches terete below, flattened in alternate directions above. 
Leaves yellowish green, opposite, thick coriaceous, obovate, tip 
round, base long-acuminate, 1-5 in. long, *75 in. wide; nerves 5, 
fine. Flowers in clusters of 1 to 3 in an involucre of 2 connate 
bracts, middle one pedicelled. Drupe ovoid, pale green, -2 in. 
through. Hab. Mountains, Perak, Gunong Batu Putih (Wray). 
Kedah Peak. 
(3) V. dichotomum Don, Prod. FL Nepal. 142 ; Gamble, Journ. 
As. Soc. Beng. l.c. 388. 
Leafless much di-trichotomously branched parasite, dull green; 
branches terete, joints flat, narrowed above and more so at base, 
