Monotropaceae
M. IQBAL DAR
Stewart Herbarium, Gordon College, Rawalpindi.(Now at Highland School, Iringa, Tanzania)
Saprophytic or parasitic herbs, yellowish white to brown. Stem succulent, simple, erect. Leaves scale-like, alternate. Flowers complete, hypogynous. Sepals 2-6, free, imbricate. Petals 3-6, free, imbricate, base broad or saccate. Stamens 6-12. Carpels 4-5; ovary 4-5-locular; placentation axile or parie¬tal; style thick, cylindrical; stigma capitate. Fruit a loculicidal capsule. Seeds numerous, minute.
A family of 12 genera and 21 species; found in humus-rich forests in the North Temperate regions. Monotropa is the only genus on record from West Pakistan.
Acknowledgements: We are grateful to the United States Department of Agriculture for financing this research under P.L. 480. Thanks are also due to Messrs B.L. Burtt, I.Hedge and Miss J. Lamond of the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, for their helpful suggestions.
