The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1882-12-28
MlstletOe.

Apart from its real or mythical con
| uoction with the Druids, and its practi-
cal use in modern Christmas festivities
the mistletoe is undoubtedly n very
aurious and interesting plant. IL is
naturally uncanny-looking thing; and.
no doubt, The uncanniness OF its appear
nnce and mode of growth has had much
to do with the place it fills in popular
Superstitions aud folklore. The bough.
''qtfOd non Sud seminal drbOS,h is al
most the only good example of vege-
table parasite TO be found in any north
ern climate; so that it has reasonably
enough attracted great deal OF atten-
ton from all northern peoples in every
age. Even when detached from the
trunk of its host mistletoe bough is
curious object, with its fiat opposite
pairs of succulent leaves. its iOinted
green branches, its suspicious-looking
glauoous color, and its terminal twigs
abruptly ending in an unfinished knob.
Scientifically speaking. the mistlotoe
has afforded an open battle field for in
Vulnerable systematists. The question
whether four little leaflets in the Hover
were TO be called petals or calyX pieces
in itself about as important as the
question, who was Hecuba's grand
mother-has often cruelty divided the
botanical world. We now know that
the mistletoe is really exactly Whist each
of the contending parties contradictory
asserted it TO be. Like most other par
asitic plants, the mistletoe derives its
origin from family of climbers.
1t is closely connected with those
four eialed flowers like the
cornell, dogwood, guolder-rose and
elder, which compose a perfect network
of connecting links between many very
distinct groups of plants. These types,
in fact, form a central station, rs IL
were, from which diverging branches
run out in every direction. Several Of
the lines started from this interlacing
center have taken to climbing habits;
among them are ivy en- the one hand
and honeysuckle on the other (both Of
which have berries much ike those of
mistletoe), together with the little
clinging cleavers and bed-straw al our
hedgerows, which are somewhat moro
remotely connected with tho original
ancestor. But certain allied races like
the sandalwood family. arc parasitic on
the roots of other plants. The ancestor
of the mistleioe. which was clearly in
termediate between those two types
whence the dispute as TO IS proper
place in the old linear arrangement
must have more or less comb ned both
habits; IL must have been at once a
creeper and a parasite. In this way 10
could ascend the trunks of trees, and
then asten itself on 10 the soft tissues
of the bark, ~ first. no doubt, by means
of suckers The mistletoc has be-
come, in the ordinary but very incorrect
language OF bo,anists. n perfect para
site The means by which Il has accom-
plished this change may still be observed
in the existing berry.
Looking closely at the top Of the little
white fruit one can sec four small. black
ish marks. which are the scars left be-
hind by the four calyx pieces In falling
of, These scars show the place Of tho
plant beside such other bushes as tho
lockwood aud the wayfaring tree. Now,
If the berry is cut 81 en-. the inner pulp
appears as an extremely viscid mass 81
slime-ndeed. the very word ''yiscid'
is but the ad 'ective Of viscumi and from
this pulp birdlime IS manufactured En-
bedded in the slime is single hard
seed The use OF such an arrangement
to the mistletoe Is easy enoughtO under
stand Birds eat the berries, and thus
carry the seeds from tree % tree. some
times, no doubt. the fruit simply clings
by its own sticky sal stance to their feet
or feathers and gets rubbed OF when
they alighf on another bough, but in
other cases IL is probably swallowed,
and the seed then passes, undigested.
through their bodies. I'm either event
the plant obtains IL desired result. the
placing Of its offspring securely In
proper position for genminating and
fastening on the tissues OF its host For
such purpose the glutinous pulp Is OBJ
yiously well adopted. Most parasites.
animal or vegetable. have To produce
enormous numbers OF eggs or seeds,
which are simply turned loose anywhere.
on the chance that one OF two amooR
them may happen 20 light upon ite proper
prev. But the possession of n fruit In
The shape at an edible berry, provided
with natural gum 20 fasten the seed on
% the branches 81 trees saves tho llis-
Lletoe from any such desperate shifts as
.hese. So successful has II been, in
Iced. in getting is Young vol started
u life, that like many other bcrry-boar-
srs which trust TO birds f0r dispersion, 10
aAs actually been enabled 20 dispense
With some OF its primitive Quotdm 81
Ioeds. -PaE- Nal 6exfsss