CXX. GNETACE.E. 665 



tube {tuhiUus) and enclosed iu a bag (? pei-ianth), each female infloi-escence 

 supported by several pairs of decussate bracts. Pruit (iu the Indian 

 species) fleshy, consisting of several succulent bracts enclosing 1 or 2 

 seeds. — Distrib. Dry regions of Europe, N. Africa, Asia, and America; 

 species 31. 



1. Ephedra foliata, Boiss. Fl. Orient, v. 5 (1881) p. 716. A 

 dioecious or monoecious climbing shrub reaching 15 ft. long or more 

 (rarely prostrate or hanging from walls); branches often fascicled, slender; 

 bark green or glaucescent, smooth, striate ; buds terminal, minute, 

 shortly ovate or more or less elongate. Leaves 2, 3, or 4, shortly con- 

 nate at the base, 1-1^ in. long by -^ in. broad, linear-setaceous. Male 

 TLOWERS : Spikelets ovate, obtuse, tetragonal, in pairs, or 3 together, or 

 solitary, of various lengths, often with a peduncle 1-1| in. long ; flowers 

 6-24; bracts rotund, obtuse, connate for ^-g their length, yL — j-L in. 

 long and as broad as long. Perianth obovate, exceeding the bracts. 

 JStaminal-column equalling the perianth or shortly exserted. Female 

 PLOWEES : Floral galbuli in depauperate usually nodding cymes, ovate, 

 on long peduncles or in short fascicles, with 3 pairs of bracts. Flowers 

 usually in pairs, equalling the bracts. Integument at first oblong, 

 obtusely trigonous ; tubillus exserted, straight, short. Fruit globose, 

 \ iu. in diam., semitransparent, red or milky-white, showins; 2 dark- 

 colored seeds. 8tapf, Die Art. der Gatt. Ephed. (1889) p. 49. Ejjhedra 

 peduncnlari.^, Boiss. Fl. Orient, v. 5 (1881) p. 717 ; Hook. f. Fl. B. I. v. 5, 

 p. 641 ; TaJb. Trees, Bomb. ed. 2, p. 337 ; Woodr. in Journ. Bomb. Nat. 

 V. 12 (1899) p. 517; AVatt, Diet. Econ. Prod. v. 3, p. 251. E. Alte, 

 Brandis, For. Flor. p. 501, t. 69 {not of C. A. Meyer). ^Flowers : 

 Mar.-Apr. 



In the Bombay Presidency confined to Sind. Sind : Woodrow, Sfoc/cs, 449 ! ; hills 

 at the Hub near Kara.'hi, Bhola Puranl ; near Schwan, Bahell, 7 '. — Distrib. India 

 (Fanjab, Eajputaua) ; Afghanistan to Syria. 



2. GNETUM, Linn. 



Evergreen climbing shrubs or erect trees ; branches jointed. Leaves 

 opposite, entire, penninerved. Flowers monoecious or dioecious, whorjed, 

 iu the axils of the cupular bracts of axillary or terminal solitary or 

 paniculate spikes, often surrounded by jointed hairs. Male flowebs : 

 Perianth narrowly clavate, entire or valvately 2-fid. Stamens adnate to 

 the base of the perianth ; filaments connate in a column, exserted from 

 the mouth of the perianth ; anther-cells 2, distinct, sessile on the top 

 of the column, opening by terminal slits. Female flowers (some 

 imperfect) : Ovule ovoid or globose, the inner integument produced 

 into a slender exserted tube with often a toothed or -fimbriate mouth. 

 Seed drupe-like. — Distrib. Tropical Asia, Africa, America, Pacific 

 Islands ; species about 15. 



1. Gnetum scandens, Roxb. Hort. Beng. (1814) p. QQ. A lofty 

 dioecious climber with dichotomous branches ; bark thick, scaly ; young 

 shoots jointed and swollen at the insertion of the leaves. Leaves 

 opposite, 4^-6 by 2-3 in., ovate-oblong or elliptic, obtusely acuminate, 

 smooth and polished, base obtuse or very shortly cuneate ; main nerves 

 6-8 pairs, slender, with lax reticulate venation between ; petioles j-| in. 



