Classification

Parasitic plants belong for the most part to the large family of fungi. Their history is in many points obscure, and the various attempts at classification have not been entirely satisfactory. For the present purpose, however, it will be sufficient to refer to three divisions: schizomycetes, saccharomycetes, and actinomycetes. The schizomycetes include the fungi which multiply by division or fission, the saccharomycetes or yeast fungi multiply by budding and the formation of spore, actinomycetes include the fungi the branches of which radiate from a centre-rayed fungus. Individuals of the two first divisions are found on the surface of the body and in the internal organs of the horse, but so far as is known very few of them produce disease.