GENIS TA EPHEDROI'DES. 
EPHEDRA-LIKE GENISTA. 
Class. 
MON A DELPHI A. 
Natural Order 
LEGUMINOSjE. 
Native of 
Height. 
Flowers in 
Duration. 
Introduced 
Sardinia. 
4 feet. 
June, Sept. 
Perennial. 
in 1832. 
No. 498. 
The derivation of the name Genista, is mingled 
with much uncertainty. The Latin genu, the knee ; 
and also the Celtic gen, a small bush, are mentioned 
as its root. Ephedroides, like an ephedra, a genus 
somewhat resembling our equisetum. 
This pretty addition to our hardy shrubs was in- 
troduced by F. Westcott, Esq. of Erdington, near 
Birmingham ; who raised it from seeds, taken out of 
a pod which he found matured on a Sardinian spe- 
cimen, in his Hortus Siccus. We are informed by 
Mr. Westcott that he received the specimen amongst 
a collection of others, from the German Union ; and 
that he has raised several rare plants from seeds ob- 
tained through the same medium. 
Its slender branches and small flowers, shewn by 
a small specimen only, have little gaiety, but the 
shrub, in a growing state, is altogether interesting 
and ornamental. 
Mr. Cameron, curator of the Birmingham Bota- 
nic Garden, to which establishment Mr. Westcott 
presented the plant, informs us that cuttings of it 
strike readily; and that it flourishes in any com- 
mon soil, but has not yet perfected seeds. 
Don’s Syst. Bot. v. 2, 150. 
Order. 
DECANDRIA. 
