ap. 7670. 
EPHEDRA AttissiMa. 
Native of N. Africa. 
Nat. Ord. GnetacEz. 
Genus Eruepra, Linn.; (Benth. & Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. p. 418.) 
EruEpRa altissima; suffrutex dioica, scandens, ramossissima, caule basi 
lignoso, ramis dependentibus ramulisque divaricatis oppositis et ternatim 
verticillatis gracilibus glaucis aliis persistentibus teretibus aliis tenuiori- 
bus compressis et tetragonis, foliis 2-natis v. 3-4 natim verticillatis 
linearibus v. setaceis basi breviter connatis, spicis masculis solitaris 
binis ternatis fasciculatis v. paniculatis ovoideis v. subglobosis ad 2 poll. 
diam., bracteis floralibus plurimis late ovatis orbicularibusve mem brana- 
ceis basi connatis, perianthio obovoideo bilabiato, staminum columna 
exserta, antheris 1~3 sessilibus, galbulis foemineis solitariis globosis ad } 
poll. diam., fructiferis majoribus, bracteis 2-3 paribus, infimis minutis 
supremis multo majoribus ad }? connatis herbaceis obtusis marginibus 
membranaceis fimbrillatis demum carnosis rubris, integumento anguste 
ellipsoideo, apice exserto, tubillo elongato recto v. torto, seminibus 1-3 fere 
2 poll. longis, solitariis trigonis v. angulatis, binis plano-convexis. 
E. altissima, Desf. FU. Atlant. vol. ii. p. 371, t. 253. Parl. in DC. Prodr. vol. 
xvi. pars ii. p. 356. C. A. Meyer, Ephed. p. 67. Endl. Syn. Conif. p. 261. 
Ball, Spicil. Fl. Maroce. (Journ. Linn. Soc, Bot. vol. xvi.) p. 669. Stapf, 
Ephed. p. 46, t. ii. et ix. fig. 1-15. Gard. Chron. 1890, vel. i. p. 791, fig. 129. 
Upwards of thirty species of Ephedra have been described, 
of which seven are cultivated in the Royal Gardens, but 
not L, altissima, which is not hardy. Of these, the latter 
is the only one figured from living specimens in any 
_ English botanical work ; first in the Gardeners’ Chronicle 
(1.c.), nine years ago, and now in this magazine; in both 
cases from a plant cultivated in Commendatore Hanbury’s 
garden at La Mortola, where it is a very attractive shrub 
when in fruit in December. It is a native of the North 
African coast, from the city of Marocco to Sus, on the 
Atlantic side, and extending to Tunis on the Mediterranean 
Descr.—A tall, dicecious, glabrous, scandent, excessively 
branched, green, almost leafless glaucous green shrub; 
stem woody at the base, very slender, branches and branch- 
lets drooping or pendulous, opposite or ternately whorled, 
the ultimate opposite, divaricate, compressed, and four- 
angled, bearing small ovate acuminate brown scales 
at the axils. Leaves minute, linear or setaceous. Male 
AvGust Ist, 1899. 
