204 



DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



jointed branches, and opposite net veined leaves. Ephedra 

 being rush-like shrubs with small scale-like leaves. The 

 flowers are terminal and unisexual. In Europe the family- 

 is represented by the genus Ephedra of which there are two 

 species, E. distachya and E. monostachya commonly to be 

 seen in botanic gardens. About 20 species are known of this 

 family. 



They have no special qualities except in their native loca- 

 lities, where the seeds of some are eaten. 



The rush-like stems of Ephedra present a strong contrast 

 to a plant of recent discovery associated with them, named 

 Welwitschia mirahiUs. This plant consists of a hard woody 

 obconical mass, in old plants not rising more than a foot 

 above the ground, of nearly a circular form, and according to 

 age, varying in diameter from a few inches to 5 or 6 feet, hav- 

 ing a long tapering taproot, penetrating deeply into the earth. 

 Its surface is nearly flat, rough, and cracked and depressed 

 towards the centre, seemingly as it were divided in two by 

 a furrow. Round the margin is yearly produced several 

 forked flowerstalks rising about a foot in height, bearing 

 round or four sided cones about an inch or more in diameter 

 at the base. The above is sufficient to show this as being a 

 remarkable plant, but it is still more so by its two seed leaves 

 being permanent, increasing in length and breadth with the 

 age of the plant ; they are of leathery texture and in old 

 plants attain the length of 5 or 6 feet, with the breadth of a 

 foot or more, their apex being torn or divided, and lie nearly 

 flat on the ground in opposite directions ; their original axis 

 or point of development being overgrown above and below 

 by the continual enlargement of the trunk, giving the appear- 

 ance of the leaves being artificially inserted in two slits which 

 extend nearly half way round, almost meeting each other. This 

 plant was first discovered by Dr. Welwitsch, growing in stony 

 sandy plains on the plateau of Benguela in Africa, and in 

 similar situations by other parties in Damara-land. It is 

 difficult to determine the age of these plants, the largest, which 



