New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-08
NISTLETOE.



Apart from it, real my Aical connection with
the DrUids and its practical use IN modern Christ
mas iestiyl les, the mi~tI"tOe X undoubtedly very
/ curious and interesting plant. II Is naturally
uucauny looking thing; and, no doubt, the unCan-
| uincss Of Its appearance aud mode of growth has
had much 70 do with the place It nils nm popular
suDerstitious and folklore The bOuEh GRDd poH
mn seminal Qrb0, Is almost the only good example
of a vegetable parasite 10 Uc found ia any northern
climate 80 that II has reasonably enough attracted
n great deal OF attention from ri northern Poop es
IN every Gge. Even when detached from the trunk
Of It's host. q mlst,ctOe-bOugn is curious object,
with its fiat oppoS" pairs OF succuient leaves IT'S
iointed green branches It's su~pcious-lookIng glau-
cous color, and its terminal twlgs abruptly ending
IN an unfinished knob.
scientifically speaking. the mistletoe has afforded
an open battlefield for iunumerable ~ystewatIsts.
The question whether four little leaflets IN the
flower were TO bee called petals OF cayN-plrc s-Il
Itself about important as the question " no was
/ Hrcubd'. grandiOtlcr-has often CrGcIiE divided
/ thc botanical world We now know that the mis-
etoc Is really exactly what each Of the c9utcudlng
parties coutTatlCtOlY asserted n 20 bc. Like most
other parasitic plants. the istietOe derives II origin
from family o climbers. IT Is closely connected
duywOOd gitder-rO-c and elder, winch compose a
perfect network of connecting links between many
very distinct groups of plants. These types, ~ iac
form central s1atiOh' a. II we're !Ion " MN W
yerglug branches run out IN every direction. sew
eral OF the lines started from this iuteracng centre
have taken 10 climbing ndplts among theh are IVY
on the one hand and honeysuCkle on the other both
of which have berries much ike those OF mi5tetOe
together with the little Cllnglng CraNcrs ana bed
straw OF our Indigenous, which are somewhat more
reno connected with the original ancestor. But
certain allied races, like the sauualwoOd family,
are parasitic on the roots Of other plants. The an
cestoT OF the mlStlctOc, which was clearly lLttr-
mediate between those two tyUe--"hencc the dis
pufe as % It, proper place in the old linear arrange
mcut-Injlst have more or less combined both haO-
it,. II mus have been at once a creeper and
parasite in this way 1t could ascend the trunks Of
trees. and then tasten Itself 10 the soft tissues OF
TIE bark At rrsr no dOubt BY means OF suckers
The mist.etOe has become, IN the ordinary but very
incorrect language of botanISts. perfect parasite.
The means by which IL has accomplished TINS
change may still be observed m the existing berry.
Looking closely at the top of thc little " lie fruit
one can sec four small b.ackl-h marks, when are
the scar. LETT behind by the four calYX-pleceS IN
Il. linz OFT These show e place OF the plant
.eSIdc such other bushes as the dO4WOod ana the
wayfariug tree. Now II the Dscr, Is cut Opeu, the
inner puip appears as an extremely Fiscld mass OF
slImp-iu indeed. the very word ys"d' Is but the
adjective of ri,cut; and from tn, pulp blrdmo Is
manufactured. Embedded IN the slime Is a single
hard seed. The use of such an arrangemelt 10 the
Wstle Oe Is easy enough 10 uuGGI9lduI. DIns eat
the berries. and thus carry the seeds from tree 10
tree Sometimes, no DOUBT, the fruit simply cllngs
bV its own sticky substance TO their tct or feathers
anu gets rubbed on when they dIghi Oh another
bough; but III other cases 10 Is probably swallowed,
and the seed then passes undlge.tcd through tnelr
bodies In either event the plant obtains Its desired
result, the placing OF its offspring securely III a
proper position for terminating and fastening on
the Tissues oi its host For such purpose the Ylu-
tIn0us pulp Is obviously well adapted. Most para
sites animal or vegetable, have ~ produce
enormous number, OF eggs or seeds. which are
siuulv turned loose any where on the chance thar
one Ol two among them may happen 10 uBht upon
it, proper prey. But the possession oil ruIJ IN the
shape OF an edible berry, provided with natural
gum to astcn the seed To the branches OF trees.
saves the mstlctOc from any sucu desperate Suits
rs these SO successful has II been, indeed, IN gel
ting It's young well started IN lie that, Ike many
Otnrr berry bearer, which trust 10 birds Tor dis
pcrslOu. DO has actually been enabled 70 dispense
with some o. It's primitive Quotum OF seeds.