396 | LORANTHACEAE. | Korthalsella, 
3. K. elavata Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 1151.—Very closely 
allied so K. Lindsayi, and perhaps only a variety, but a smaller plant, ~ 
seldom more than 2in. high, with the joints of the stem much narrower, 
linear-spathulate, 1-4in. long, s4-}in. broad. Spikes apparently always 
solitary, either terminal or from the nodes. Male flowers not seen, but 
female flowers and fruit quite like those of K. Iandsay:.—Viseum clavatum 
T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxiv (1892) 429, t. 37; Cheesem. Man. N.Z, 
Fl. (1906) 622. 
Sourn Istanp : Canterbury—Castle Hill basin, 2000-3000 ft., J. D. Hinys / T. Kirk / 
T. F.C. Parasitic on Aristotelia frulicosa, Discaria, and Coprosma. 
Family XXXII. BALANOPHORACEAE. 
Low-growing fleshy leafless or scaly root-parasites. Stem reduced 
to a tuberous globular or misshapen often lobed rhizome. Peduncles 
short or long, thick, naked or clothed with scattered or imbricate scales. 
Flowers monoecious or dioecious, minute, crowded in spadix-like heads at 
the top of the peduncles. Male flowers: Perianth wanting or of 3-6 
valvate lobes. Stamens 1-3, rarely more; filaments free or connate into 
a tube or column; anthers 2—-many-celled. Female flowers: Perianth 
wanting or adnate to the ovary ; limb absent or minutely toothed. Ovary 
ovoid or globose, 1-3-celled ; styles 1-2, long or short or almost absent ; 
stigmas simple or capitellate, sometimes sessile and discoid ; ovules solitary 
in each cell, pendulous, anatropous. Fruit a minute crustaceous or 
coriaceous l-seeded utricle or nut. Seed adherent to the pericarp, 
albuminous ; embryo most minute. 
A small but very remarkable family of fleshy root-parasites, chiefly tropical in 
its distribution, but nowhere plentiful. Genera, 14; species, 35. 
DACTYLANTHUS Hook. f. 1&594, ~bv-(uccdn Ge, 
A root-parasite. Rhizome usually subterranean, perennial, hard and 
woody, rounded or amorphous, often irregularly lobed, surface rough with 
small tubercles or warts. Flowering stems or peduncles annual, numerous, 
crowded, clavate, clothed throughout with imbricate ovate or oblong 
brownish scales, the upper of which are larger and more closely placed, 
surrounding the spadices. Spadices numerous at the ends of the peduncles, 
slender, erect, cylindrical or slightly fusiform. Flowers very minute, 
densely packed, monoecious. Male flowers: Perianth wanting or of 2 
minute subulate processes. Stamens | or 2; filaments very short; anthers 
didymous, 2-celled. Female flowers: Perianth adnate to the ovary ; 
limb of 2 or 3 erect subulate segments. Ovary stipitate, ovoid-oblong, 
1-celled ; style long, filiform; stigma terminal; ovule solitary, apparently 
pendulous. Fruit minute, crustaceous. 
A eas distinct monotypic genus, not closely allied to any other, confined to New 
Zealand. 
1. D. Taylori Hook. /. in Trans. Linn, Soc. xxii (1859) 425, t. 15.— 
Rhizome stout, varying in size according to the age of the plant, 1-12 in- 
diam. or more. Flowering stems 2-6 in. high, 3-1 in. diam., fleshy when. 
> 2 
o2* wis 
