tus Grand-Duke of SaxeWeimar. The species of Casuarina here alluded to was sent to Weimar originally under the name of Casuarina equisetifòlia Linn.; and was, in the year 1810, but a very small shrub, not more than 3 ft. high, and the trunk three fourths of an inch in diameter. In that year, it was planted in the open air, in good soil, containing a portion of calcareous matter, the substratum of the country being of that nature. It was so placed as to receive the full influence of the sun in summer, and to be protected from the northern and eastern winds. In the winter, it was covered with a temporary building, which was warmed by fire, so as to exclude the frost.

The height of the tree, in 1818, was 16 ft. 6 in., the circumference of the head 42 ft., and that of the trunk nearly 20 in. Near to this tree was another, which was planted in 1813. It was sent from Paris to Weimar in a flower-pot, and was then a very small shrub. In 1818, it had already reached the height of 8 ft., and the trunk was nearly 2 in. in diameter. The larger tree flowered in 1818, but without producing any seed, being evidently a dioecious plant. With regard to the botanical character of this casuarina some doubts have arisen. It does not seem to be the species usually called equisetifòlia. The Belvedere plant appeared, in 1818, to be clearly diœcious: it was covered with male flowers, and not a single female was to be seen. Whether this arose from the circumstance that, in monoecious plants, one set of flowers sometimes so strongly predominates as to render the other imperceptible, and that a sort of equality between the two sets of flowers only takes place as the plant advances in age; or that the plant in question was not C. equisetifòlia, but another species of the genus, which is diœcious; is uncertain.

C. nodiflora Forst. Prod., No. 335., Willd. Sp. Pl., 4. p. 190. Moncecious. Branchlets erect, tetragonal. Scales of the strobiles unarmed, glabrous. Sheaths of the male 4-cleft, glabrous. A tree, 15 ft. high; a native of New Caledonia. Introduced in 1823.

C. distyla Vent. Cels., t. 62., Willd. Sp. Pl., 4. p. 191. Dioecious. Branchlets erect, round. Scales of the strobiles unarmed, ciliated. Sheaths of the male 7-cleft, somewhat ciliated. Flowers 2-styled. A tree, 15 ft. high; a native of New Holland. Introduced in 1812.

C. stricta Ait. Hort. Kew., 3. p. 320., Willd. Sp. Pl., 4. p. 190., Bot. Rep., t. 346. Diœcious. Branchlets erect, furrowed. Scales of the strobiles unarmed, smoothish. Sheaths of the male multifid, glabrous. A tree, a native of New Holland. Introduced in 1775, by Messrs. Kennedy and Lee. It flowers in November and December. There is a plant in the Horticultural Society's Garden, which has stood against a conservative wall since 1830; and there are plants at Messrs. Loddiges's. C. torulosa Ait. Hort. Kew., 3. p. 320., Willd. Sp. Pl., 4. p. 191. The cork-barked Casuarina. Dicecious. Branchlets weak. Scales of the strobiles villous, tuberculate, rough. Sheaths of the male 4-cleft. A large tree, a native of Holland. Introduced in 1772, by Sir Joseph Banks. There are plants at Messrs. Loddiges's.

Culture, &c. As all the above species are probably equally hardy, we would recommend as many of them as possible to be got, and planted in warm situations, in dry, sandy, pine or fir woods, where they would be thoroughly sheltered. The pines should be at least 6 ft. or 8 ft. higher than the casuarinas; but their branches should never be allowed to come nearer them than within 2 ft. or 3 ft.; and the roots of the pine trees, on the side next the casuarina, should be cut off annually with a spade. As the casuarina in

creases in size, the pines or firs surrounding it should have their branches cut in, or the trees should be cut down, so as to allow the former room to expand on every side, and to increase its power of resisting cold and wind, as it increases in size. Ultimately, a space of such dimensions might be left round it as to admit of a spectator looking at the top of the tree, at an angle of vision of from 30° to 35°. We mention this angle of vision, because experience proves that no tree or other object can be seen to the greatest advantage when the angle of vision is either much greater, or much less, than from 30° to 35°. The casuarinas, when grown in pots, thrive well in equal parts of sand, loam, and peat: but, in the open ground, a sandy loam, with a dry subsoil, would probably suit them best; because, in such a soil, they would probably not make more wood than they could ripen before winter. They are all propagated by seeds, but would probably succeed by cuttings of the points of the shoots, in sand, under a bell-glass.

CHAP. CXI.

:

;

OF THE HARDY LIGNEOUS PLANTS OF THE ORDER GNETA CEE. EPHEDRA Tourn. Devoid of obvious leaves. Leaves scale-like, opposite, in pairs; the direction of the pairs decussating. Flowers unisexual; those of the two sexes upon distinct plants.-Male. Flowers in axillary groups. Flowers in the group opposite, in pairs; the pairs decussate in direction each pair subtended by a perfoliate bractea. Calyx tubular, bifid in the upper part; first including, then surrounding, a straight column situated at its base, extended beyond its tip, and there divided into 2-8 short pedicels, proper to as many anthers: each anther has two cells, and each cell opens by a terminal hole. - Female. Flowers borne about the terminal parts of a branch, or of branches; in pairs the pairs 1--2 together, at the tips of axillary peduncles; or 3 together at the tip of a branch. Each flower consists of an ovule, plano-convex, upright, perfoliated at the tip, and terminated by a style-like hollow process, formed from the secundine of the nucleus. The ovules are disposed 2 together, with their flat faces approximate; and the 2 are bracteated by perfoliate decussate bracteas. Each ovule, if not abortive, becomes a seed. The seeds are partly invested with the uppermost and upper of the bracteas, enlarged, and rendered fleshy. Embryo in the centre of fleshy albumen. Radicle uppermost. Species few, natives of the temperate parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Shrubs; much branched. Stem and branches jointed, and separable at the joints. (T. Nees ab Esenb. Gen. Pl. Fl. Ger.; Lindl. Nat. Syst. Bot.; and observation.)

GENUS I.

EPHEDRA L. THE EPHEDRA. Lin. Syst. Diœ`cia Monadélphia. Identification. Lin. Gen., 1136.; Reich., 1242.; Schreb., 155.; Tourn., 447.; N. Du Ham., 3. p. 17. Derivation. From ephedra, the Greek name for the Hippùris, or Horsetail, which it resembles.

Description, &c. Low shrubs; evergreen, from the colour of the bark of their branches, and in that respect resembling the genera Casuarina and Equisètum. They are natives of the south of Europe, Barbary, and Siberia, on the sea shore, or in saline or sandy wastes; and they have been but little subjected to cultivation. They might, however, be used in ornamental scenery as evergreens, and even cultivated for their fruit; which, in their native coun

tries, ripens in spring, becoming succulent, like a little mulberry, with a slightly acid, and yet sugary and agreeable, taste. In the warmer parts of the south of England, this fruit might be cultivated so as to become valuable for the dessert; from its ripening at a time when no other fruit in the open air in Britain is ever found ripe. The plants, when allowed to grow to their full size, form evergreen bushes; not by the colour of their leaves, which are scarcely perceptible, except when very closely observed; but by the deep green bark of the shoots, which, in old plants, are very numerous, and form a dense head. According to Du Hamel, they bear the shears well, and form beautiful round balls, which may either be made to appear as if lying on the ground, or may be trained on a short stem. The lower sorts, Du Hamel continues, may be clipped to resemble turf; and for that purpose the plant may be valuable, in some parts of Australia and Africa, to form lawns which shall create an allusion to temperate climates. The saving by using such plants as Ephedra, which would require little or no watering, instead of a great deal, as the European grasses would do in such a climate, would be very considerable.

1. E. DISTA'CHYA L.

The two-spiked Ephedra, Great shrubby Horse-
tail, or Sea Grape.

Identification. Lin. Sp., 1472.; N. Du Ham., 3. p. 19.; Ait. Hort. Kew., ed. 1., 3. p. 16.
Synonymes. Ephedra vulgàris Rich.

Mém. Conif.,p. 26. t. 4. f.1.; Polygonum marinum Tabern. Ic., 886.: P. quártum Plinii Clus. Hist.,92., Icon., t. 836.; P. lamifolium, &c., Bauh. Pin., 15.; E'phedra maritima major Tourn. Inst., 663., Schaw Sp., No.214., N. Du Ham., t. 1. p. 220.; Tràgos Cam. Hort., t. 46. ; Raisin de Mer, Ephèdre multiflore, Fr.; Zweyahriger Ross Schwanz Ger. The Sexes. Both are figured in Tabernæmontanus, in Clusius, and in Richard. Engravings. Tabern. Ic., 836.; Clus. Icon., t. 836.; Camer. Hort., t. 46. ; Schkuhr Hand., 3. t. 339.; Du Ham., t. 1. pl. 92.; Rich. Mém. Conif., t. 4. f. 1.; and our figs. 1973. and 1974.

Spec. Char., &c.

1973

Peduncles opposite. Catkins twin. (Lin.) A small evergreen shrub, with numerous cylindrical wand-like branches, articulated, and furnished at each articula

tion with two small linear leaves. A native of the south of France and Spain, in sandy soils on the sea shore, where it grows to the height of 3 ft. or 4 ft.; and flowers in June and July, ripening its berries a short time afterwards. It was cultivated in England before 1570, by Matthias L'Obel; but, as far as we have observed, justice has never been done to this, or any other species of Ephedra in British gardens. There are plants in the Hammersmith Nursery, in the Twickenham Botanic Garden, in the Horticultural Society's Garden, at Kew, and at Messrs. Loddiges.

1974

2. E. MONOSTA CHYA L. The one-spiked Ephedra, or Small shrubby

Horsetail.

Identification. Lin. Sp., 1472.; Ait. Hort. Kew., 3. p. 116.; N. Du Ham., 3. p. 18.

Synonymes. E. petiolis sæpe pluribus, &c., Gmel. Sib., 1. p. 171.; E. mínima, &c., Amm. Ruth., 354.; E. polygonöldes Pall. Ross.; Ephèdre mineure, Ephèdre de Sibérie, Fr.

The Sexes. There are male plants at Messrs. Loddiges's.

Engravings. Gmel. Sib., 1. p. 171. f. 1. ; Amm. Ruth., t. 26.; Dend. Brit., t. 142.; and our figs. 1975. and 1976., of the male plant.

Spec. Char., &c. Peduncles many. Catkins solitary. (Lin.) This shrub is much smaller, and hardier, than E. distachys It is a native of Siberia, near salt springs, and in saline wastes; and, according to Pallas, is "common in the southern parts of Russia, from the Don and the Volga to the Leira. It is also found in Persia and India. It occurs very plentifully near the Irtis, sometimes covering large spaces, and having beautifully coloured berries. The Kergisi use the ashes of the wood for snuff." (Pall. Fl. Ross.) The plant was introduced into Britain by Messrs. Kennedy and Lee, in 1772.

1975

1976

3. E. ALTI'SSIMA Desf. The loftiest Ephedra. Identification. Desf. Fl. Alt., 2. p. 371. t. 253.; N. Du. Ham., 3. p. 18.; Rich. Mém. Conif., p. 29. t. 4. f. 8.

Synonymes. Ephedra sive Anábasis

Bellonii, &c. Tourn. Ins., 663., Vaill.

4. E. FRAGILIS Desf. The fragile Ephedra.

Identification. Desf. Fl. Alt., 2. p. 372.; N. Du Ham., 3. p. 19.
Synonymes. E. crética Tour. Cor., 53., Vail. Her.; Equisetum montanum créticum Alp. Ex. 141.
The Sexes. The female is figured in Alp. Exot., t. 141.

Engraving. Alp. Exot., 141.

Spec. Char., &c. Catkins sessile; the male ones aggregate. Articulations of the branches separable. (Desf.) A shrub, between 2 ft. and 3 ft. high, with cylindrical branches, slightly striated; a native of Spain, and of the sea coast of the south of France, but not yet introduced into Britain.

branchlets crowded, erect, round, slender. Leaves consisting of a sheath, or 2 semioval acuminate scales, spreading or relaxed, and in the fertile branches somewhat distinct; in the sterile ones adhering, so as to form a short tube. Flowers monœcious: male and female on the same branchlets, but from different joints; those of the male inferior and fewer in number; heads of

1980

flowers crowded round one joint, aggregate, subsessile, on short stalks. (Rich.) Found by Hum. boldt and Bonpland in Quito, at an elevation of almost 7000 ft.; flowering in January. Not yet introduced, though probably quite hardy.

CHAP. CXII.

OF THE HARDY LIGNEOUS PLANTS OF THE ORDER TAXA CEE.

TA'XUS Tourn. Flowers unisexual, axillary; those of the two sexes upon distinct plants. Male flower. It consists of anthers upon short pedicels, at the top of a column that has imbricate scales at the base: these had enveloped the column and anthers before they were protracted. The anther consists of 4, 5, 6, or rarely more, 1-celled lobes, attached to a connectivum, whose tip is a horizontal shield, lobed at the edge; its lobes corresponding in number and place with those of the anther, and covering them: the cells open longitudinally. - Female flower. An erect ovule, perforate at the tip; and an unobvious annular disk at its base; and, exterior to this, there are investing imbricate scales. - Fruit. The disk, at the base of the ovule, becomes a fleshy open cup, that surrounds the lower part of the seed, which is exposed in the remaining part: the scales are at the base of the cup, outside: the seed is like a nut.-Leaves evergreen, linear-acute, rigid, more or less 2-rowed in direction. (Nees ab Esenb.; and J. D.'s observation.) SALISBU RIA Smith. Flowers unisexual; those of the two sexes upon distinct plants.-Male. Flowers in tapering, decurved, bractless catkins, which are borne several from one bud; and situated outwardly to a tuft of leaves borne from the centre of the same bud. Flowers many in a catkin, each appearing as a stamen only, and consisting of a short filament-like stalk; and two cases of pollen attached very near to its tip, and a scale that terminates it. Female. Flowers borne from a bud, from which leaves are produced also; and on peduncles, either singly, or several on the pedicels of a branched peduncle. Flower seated in a shallow cup, formed of the dilated tip of the peduncle or pedicel, and consisting of a rather globose calyx, contracted to a point, and then expanded into a narrow limb, and including an ovary. The calyx is fleshy and persistent, and becomes a drupaceous covering to a nut, which is rather egg-shaped, and very slightly compressed. Embryo straight, cylindrical. Cotyledons two, very long.Species 1; a native of Japan; a large tree, with a lofty straight stem. Leaves with long petioles; and disks tranversely rhomboidal, divided part of the way down into 2 or more lobes; and coriaceous and striated; in groups, or alternately. (Richard, Smith, Watson, Jacquin, and observation.)