EPHEDRA 515 



green, minutely ribbed, opposite or borne in whorls, very tough and 

 flexible, but snapping at the joints. The joints (nodes) are clasped by 

 small membranous sheaths which sometimes develop a pair of leaf-like 

 blades, usually J to ^ in. long. The flowers are unisexual, the sexes 

 usually on separate plants, the males being borne on short spikes from the 

 joints, each flower consisting of two opposite membranous sepals and 

 two to eight anthers, which are borne at the top of one central stalk 

 formed by the union of their stalks. The female flower is composed of 

 a naked ovule prolonged at the top into a style-like tube and enclosed 

 in a bag-like calyx or bract, which in the fruiting stage becomes fleshy, 

 red and often sweet and edible. 



In cultivation out-of-doors, so far as I have seen, they do not flower 

 profusely or regularly in this country ; still less frequently do they bear 

 fruit. The best crop of blossom I have seen was in the early summer 

 of 1912, this being due presumably to the ripening influences of the 

 unusually hot summer of 1911. The flowers are yellow, but have little 

 beauty. 



The Ephedras, which in the vegetable kingdom make a connecting 

 link between ordinary flowering plants and conifers, usually inhabit dry, 

 inhospitable regions. Under cultivation they need a well-drained, loamy 

 soil and a sunny spot. They are propagated by seeds and layers and by 

 division. Such species as E. distachya, E. Gerardiana, and E. nebrodensis 

 make evergreen patches, interesting in the garden as being absolutely 

 distinct from any other hardy shrubs. The identification of the species 

 is a difficult botanical study, and a brief general description of a few of 

 the commoner species only can be given here. 



E. DISTACHYA, Linticeus. A shrub variable in height up to 3 or 4 ft., the 

 branchlets rather rigid, with the joints ^ to 2 ins. apart. Leaves jV in. long. 

 Male flower-spike usually solitary ; female flowers in pairs. Fruit globose, 

 \ in. long, red. Native of S. and E. Europe ; cultivated in the sixteenth 

 century. Var. MONOSTACHYA (E. monostachya, Linnceus) has solitary female . 

 flowers. 



E. GERARDIANA, Wallich. A densely furnished shrub, often very dwart 

 (2 or 3 ins. high) in a wild state, but up to 2 ft. high in cultivation, forming a 

 spreading close mass. Branchlets slender, erect, with the joints f to I in. 

 apart. Male flowers yellow, in a globose or ovate spike \ in. long. Fruit 

 globose, \ in. long, red. Native of the Himalaya, the Pamirs, Yarkand, 

 Thibet, etc. 



E. INTERMEDIA, Sc/ircnk.^n erect shrub about 3 ft. high, branchlets 

 roughish, with the joints i| to T\ ins. apart. Flowers of both sexes often on 

 the same plant. Fruit red, globose, ^ in. long. Native of Central Asia. 

 Distinguished from the others here mentioned by the stouter branchlets and 

 longer internodes. 



E. NEBRODENSIS, Tineo. A shrub sometimes 3 ft. or more high, the lower 

 branches prostrate ; branchlets with the slightly thickened joints \ to I in. 

 apart. Male flower-spikes solitary, or two or three together ; female solitary. 

 Fruit red, rarely yellow, globose, \ in. long. Native of the Mediterranean 

 region, N. Africa, and Canary Islands. It occurs along the coast of Dalmatia, 

 and I have seen it making very charming evergreen patches at Spalato, on the 

 walls of Diocletian's palace, also in the vicinity of Ragusa. 



