38 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 



we have been able to judge from the description and from the type material, the 

 only difference suggested between the two is that the stump3 left after J. pinchoti 

 has been cut produce sprouts while those of J. monosperma do not, scarcely a sub- 

 stantial specific difference. As a matter of fact the stumps left after trees of the com- 

 mon cedar have been cut down often send up sprouts, just as they are said to do in 

 this lately published species. 



What is probably a form of J. monosperma, or possibly a distinct species, was 

 described by Lemmon l as Juniperus occidentalis gymnocarpa. It is said to have 

 the solitary seed partly exposed at the apex, hence the name. Mr. Lemmon states 

 that this form is "abundant on the Sandia Mountains, near Albuquerque," New 

 Mexico. No specimens have been seen by the writers. The same form has been 

 collected near Fort Huachuca, Arizona, by Gen. T. E. Wilcox. 



Order 6. GNETALES. 



7a. EPHEDRACEAE. Joint-fir Family. 



1. EPHEDRA L. 



Shrubs 2 meters high or less, with slender terete striate stems; leaves reduced to 

 small scarious bracts disposed in whorls at the nodes; flowers dioecious; fruit consisting 

 of 1 or more seeds inclosed in few or many, chaffy, brownish or greenish scales. 



Our species occur hi the drier and lower parts of the State, on the sandy mesas, 

 along arroyos, and on the rocky low slopes of the mountains, associated with mesquite, 

 creosote bush, cactus, desert willow, and the like. A tea made by boiling the branches 

 in water is used by the Mexicans and Indians as a remedy for venereal diseases and 

 kidney affections. A chemical analysis shows a relatively high percentage of tannin 

 in the stems. The shrubs are variously known as ' 'popotillo, ' ' ' 'caiiatillo, ' ' ' 'Mormon 

 tea," and "Brigham Young weed," as also by several other names. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



Leaf scales in 2's; cone scales few. 



Scales of the fruit acutish; fruit sharply angled; branches 



very numerous, erect, bright green 1. E. viridis. 



Scales rounded-obtuse; fruit scarcely angled; branches few, 



somewhat spreading, yellowish 2. E. antisyphilitica. 



Leaf scales in 3's; cone scales numerous. 



Leaf scales 5 mm. long or less, merely acute, not acerose; 



fruit scabrous, less than 10 mm. long 3. E. torreyana. 



Leaf scales 8 to 10 mm. long, acerose; fruit smooth, 10 to 13 



mm. long 4. E. Iri/urca. 



1. Ephedra viridis Coville, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 4: 220. 1893. 



Type locality: Near Crystal Spring, Coso Mountains, Inyo County, California. 

 Range: Southeastern California to Utah and western New Mexico. 

 New Mexico: Western San Juan County; common. Mesas and low hills, in the 

 Upper Sonoran Zone. 



2. Ephedra antisyphilitica Meyer, Monogr. Ephedra 101. 184G. 



Type locality: "Hab. in Mexici provincia orientali Coahuila, prope Laredo ad 

 Rio del Norte." 



Range: Colorado and Texas to Mexico. 



New Mexico: Bishops Cap; Tortugas Mountain. Mesas and dry lulls, in the Lower 

 and Upper Sonoran zones. 



1 Handbook of West-American cone-bearers 80. 1895. 



