686 CXIII. GNETACE.E [Ephedra 



has the functions of a style, and enclosed by a single or double perianth. 

 Perianth or bracts supporting the <j> inflorescence become fleshy in fr. 



The general structure of the wood resembles that of normally built Dicotyledons, it 

 consists of vessels, wood-fibres, wood-parenchyma and medullary rays. No resin canals. 

 G-netum scandens, like many dicotyledonous climbers, shows on the transverse section 

 concentric bands of wedge-shaped masses of xylem and phloem, separated by medullary 

 rays. 



Membranous sheaths at the base of internodes . . . . 1. Ephedra. 



Leaves evergreen, opposite 2. Gnetum. 



1. EPHEDRA, Linn.; El. Brit. Ind. v. 640. 



(Dr. Otto Stapf, Die Arten der Gattung Ephedra, Wien, 1889. Dr. Paul 



Jaccard, Recherches sur V Ephedra helvetica, Lausanne, 1894.) 



Rigid shrubs or undershrubs, a few species climbing, old stems often 



ribbed, branches terete, striate, opposite or whorled, with membranous sheaths 



at the nodes, which often bear 2-4 narrow leafy blades. El. usually dioecious, 



$ in short bracteate spikelets, which are whorled or in pairs, perianth of two 

 opposite, compressed membranous sepals, anthers 2-8, on a central column, 

 cells 2, opening by a short slit at the apex. $ fl. usually in pairs, some- 

 times 3 or solitary, each fl. consisting of one ovule with a single integument, 

 prolonged into a tube, which has the functions of a style (tubillus) and 

 enclosed in a bag, which may be regarded as a perianth. Each $ inflores- 

 cence (spikelet) supported by several pairs of decussate bracts. Er. in the 

 species here described fleshy, consisting of the succulent bracts, enclosing 

 1 or 2 seeds. Species 31, dry regions of Europe, North Africa, Asia and 

 America. 



A. Tall, scandent, with slender branchlets. 



1. E. foliata, Boiss. — Syn. E. Alte, Brandis F. Fl. t. 69 (non C. A. Meyer), E. pedun- 

 cularis, Boiss. Baluchistan. Sind. Kuram valley. Punjab plains, excepting the 

 North-East, ascending in the Salt range to 3,000 ft. Probably in Rajputana. — 

 Southern Arabia. Persia. Afghanistan. Vern. Kuchan, Punj. A tall scandent 

 shrub, often gregarious, forming dense thickets, stem 8 in. diam., bark exfoliating in 

 fibrous shreds, branches slender, flaccid, generally whorled, branchlets often filiform, 

 internodes 1—4 in. long, leaf -sheath short, bearing at the upper nodes 2-4 small linear 

 leafy blades. Fl. often monoecious, male fl. in strictly decussate pairs, 4—12 pairs in one 

 spikelet, bracts rounded, obtuse, edge thinly fimbriate, anthers 3 or 4. Female 

 spikelets pedunculate, often in small terminal cymes, tubillus short, straight. Fr. 

 globose, J in. diam., semitransparent, red or milky-white, showing two dark-coloured 

 seeds. 



B. Rigid erect shrubs, generally numerous stems from a woody rootstock. 



2. E. Gerardiana, "Wall.; Collett Simla Flora 481. — Syn. E. vulgaris, Brandis F. Fl. 

 501 ; Kanjilal F. Fl. 346. Vern. Tutgantha, Jauns. Hariab district, Kuram valley 

 11,000 ft., common. Himalaya 8-14,000 ft., also in the inner arid tracts, ascending in 

 Sikkim to 16,500 ft. — Pamirs. Yarkand. Tibet. A rigid, nearly erect shrub, up to 

 1-2 ft. high. Tufts of short branches with opposite or whorled branchlets from a 

 woody much-branched usually creeping rootstock, internodes about 1 in. long, under 

 T V in. diam. Male spikelets ovate, §-£ in. long, solitary or in pairs, rarely in whorls 

 of 3, fl. 2-4 pairs, anthers 5-8. Female spikelets J in. long, usually solitary, bracts 2-3 

 pairs, tubillus straight. Fr. sweet, edible, red when ripe. 3. E. nebrodensis, Tineo. 

 Baluchistan, Juniper tracts, 7-10,000 ft. (Omah, Umah). Balti. Lahaul. — Mediter- 

 ranean region, Western Asia and Caucasus. Internodes smooth, slender, J-l in. long, 

 Jj-yV in. diam. Male spikelets few-fid., solitary or 2-3 together, female solitary short- 

 pedunculate, tubillus straight. Fr. globose, J in. diam. 4. E. intermedia, Schrenk 

 u. Meyer. — North-West Himalaya, chiefly in the inner arid valleys. Chitral 4-5,000 ft. 

 on dry rock3' slopes (Sumani), G-ilgit, Zanskar, Upper Chenab., Kunawar (Khanna). — 

 Persia, Turkestan, Bokhara. Western China. A small erect shrub, often glaucous, 

 internodes rough, 1A-2J in. long, T V-| in. diam. Fl. sometimes monoecious, male 

 spikelets £-£ in. long, numerous, in dense whorls at the nodes. Female spikelets shortly 

 pedunculate, whorled at the nodes, tubillus twisted. Fr. J in. long, fleshy, red when 

 ripe. 5. E. paehyclada, Boiss. Baluchistan, Kakar Lora valley, 5,500-6,000 ft. — Southern 

 Persia. Afghanistan. A small gregarious shrub, internodes 1-2J in. long, £,-1 in. 

 diam., anthers 6-8, sessile, crowded, large. 



