Page:The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage.djvu/321

Falklands, etc.]

1. MYZODENDRON, Banks et Sol.

Char. Gen. Dioicmn. Flores parvi, arnentaeei, spicati v. raceniosi. Fl. Masc. Perianthium 0. Stamina 2-3, ad apicem pedicelli circa glandulam depressarn disposita ; antliera ovoidese, uniloculares, v. septo incomplete) spurie biloculares, rima apicali deliiscentes. Fl. Fcem. Calycis tubus ovario adhaerens. Corolla nulla. Ovarium trigonum, angulis longitudinaliter bilaruellosis, rimis intus setam setasve plurhnas foventibus, uniloculare, tri-ovulatum, disco angusto inconspicuo coronatum; stylus brevis, crassus, in rarnos 3 breves obtusos apice papdlosos fissus; ovula nuda, e apice coluninse libera? centralis subpendula; funiculus brevissimus. Fructus submenibranaceus, setis 3 elongatis auctus, rarius nudus, monospermus. Semen ex apice columnse parietibus locidi appressne pendulum ; testa nulla?; albumen subcarnosurn, teres v. sulcatum; embryo kilo proximus, membrana tenui iudutus ; radieula supera, in discum dilatata v. capitata, exserta; cotyledones parvse, conferruminatee, intus cava?, plumulam diphyllam foventes. — Herbse v. potius sufirutices Antarctica? et Chilenses pleraque more Visci ram is generis Fagi parasitica. Eami teretes, alterni, articulati, ad nodes vaginati. Flores minimi. Fructus e maxima copia filorum plv/mosorum conspicui.

Subgen. GymnopJiyton ; aphylluin, bractese squaina?formes, flores maseuli in axillis bractearum solitarii, fceminei bini; stamina 2. 1. Myzodendron punctulatum, Banks et Sol.; aphyllum, ramis teretibus punctis prominulis apice depressis obsitis, floribus masculis in amenta dispositis. (../Plate CII. ../Plate CIV. et ../Plate CVI.) M. punctulatum, Banks et Sol. MSS. in Mus. Banks, cumicone. Misodendrum, DC. Coll. Mem. vol. vi. 1. 11 et 12, Prodr. vol. iv. p. 286. Brown in Trans. Linn. Soc. vol. xix. p. 232. in note. Viscum flavescens, Commerson, MSS.

Hab. Tierra del Fuego and Soutk Chili, as far North as Yaldivia ; abundant on various species of Fagus; Commerson, Banks and Solander and all future voyagers.

Suffrutex raniosissirnus, bipedaks. Caulis kgnosus, basi dkatatus, crassitie digiti rninoris, cortice pakide fusco. Rami ramulique e vagina brevi cupuleeformi orti, ultirni diametro peunse corvinse, omnes cortice flavo-virescente siccitate aurantiaco tecti, tubercuks parvis apice depressis stomate instractis rugulosi. Infiorescentia ramos terminales amentacea. Ametita alterna, suberecta, v. divaricata, cykndracea, superiora vacua. Squama seu bractea dense irnbrieatae, late orbiculatae, concava?, marginibus scariosis. Flores maseuli soktarii, pediceUati; pediceko gradatim incrassato, enrvato, ^ lin. longo, glandulam depressam (rudimentum ovarii) antherasque 2 ad apicem gerente. Anthera divaricatse, minima?, cekulosae, rima parva apicak sursum spectante dehiscentes, unkoculares, loculo intus columna compressa erecta aucto. Pollen globosum, eckinulatum, stramineum. Fl. fosminei in squamis bini, collateral.es, sessiles, vix kn. longi, anguste oblongi, trigoni. Achanium membranaeeum ; setis elongatis achsenio longioribus phimosis, piks apice capitellatis. Semen aDguste elkptico-oblongiun, loculum fere implens, ex apice columnse centralis compressa? pendulum ; funiculo brevissimo, basi ovuks 2 sterikbus suffulto. Albumen ut videtur onmino nudum. Embryo membrana teiiui ex apice funiculi continua inclusus, extremitate superiore albuminis fere innnersus ; parte radiculari dilatato, exserto; cotyledonari tereti, cykndraceo, apice breviter fistuloso, iudiviso.

As the genus Myzodendron is perhaps the most interesting, in a structural point of view, of any cokected during the progress of the Antarctic Expedition, I shak offer some remarks upon the peculiarities of this and the following species.

The process, by which the germinating embryo attaches itself to, and derives sustenance from the Beeches