Mr. J. Miers on Ephedra. 257 



triangular. The fructiferous spikelets are solitary, 3 lines long, 

 2 lines in diameter; the involucels, broad and very fleshy, of a 

 dull dark ruddy hue, quite conceal the two terminal achenia 

 the latter are ovate, diminishing upwards, plano-convex, shining, 

 unevenly striated, each obtuse at its acumination, where it is per- 

 forated and surrounded by an apical annular gland; the tubillus, 

 rising through this, is very little exserted, and very briefly bifid, 

 or rather lacerated into two very short, erect, concave, rounded, 

 unequal lobes*. 



6. Ephedra ochreata, n. sp. ; — sufFruticosa, ramis virgatis ramu- 

 lisque validis adscendentibus, ssepissiine fusco-viridibus, stria- 

 tellis, granuloso-scabridulis, epidermide facile rimosa, inter- 

 nodiis remotiusculis ; foliis 3-nis vel 4-nis, rigido-submem- 

 branaceis, in vaginam longiusculam striatellam connexis, api- 

 cibus subulatis, serius omnino disruptis, tunclibens et reflexis: 

 spicellis c? oppositis, 3-nis vel 4-nis, in axillis sessilibus et 

 subglomeratis, oblongis, ad basin imbricato-bracteatis ; invo- 

 lucellis in seriebus ternatis 6-9, imo nexis et decussatim al- 

 ternantibus, ovatis, subcoriaceis, margine vix membranaceis, 

 perigonio subrequilongis ; antheris 5-6, exsertis : spicellis 

 fructiferis 2-4, breviter pedicellatis, subverticillatis ; acheniis 

 2, oblongis, subacutis, ultra medium exsertis. — In Provinciis 

 Argentinis, Travesia de Mendosa $ mihi lecta ; v. s. in herb. 

 Hook, et Mus. Brit., 6 Patagones, Prov. Buenos Ayres (Twee- 

 die), Bahia Blanca (Darwin), Port S. Elena (Capt. King), Bahia 

 San Antonio. Var. striata 8 et $ Mendosa (Gillies). 



A very distinct species, with long virgated and somewhat 

 curving branches, which are striated, 1 to 2 lin. diam., the inter- 

 nodes being 2 inches apart ; the younger ones are somewhat 

 fistulose, with a central pith, but the older branchlets are en- 

 tirely woody ; four branchlets issue from a node, two being su- 

 perposed in each opposite axil; or there are three verticillate 

 branchlets at a joint ; the leaves are 4 lines long, seldom oppo- 

 site, most frequently ternate, and united together as far as their 

 middle into a sheath which loosely embraces the stem ; they are 

 membranaceous, with a subulately acuminate apex terminating 

 in a long cuspidate point proceeding from the excurrent nerve; 

 four sessile male spikelets are placed verticillately round each 

 node within the ruptured sheath, the leaves now becoming re- 

 flexed and withered; these spikelets are 2 lin. long, and 1^ lin. 

 broad ; each consists of three series of imbricated bracts at base, 

 and nine other floriferous series closely imbricate and alternately 



* This plant, with analyses of its carpological structure, will be shown 

 in PI. 77 a. 



