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. DISTACHYA L. The two-spiked Ephedra, Great shrubby Horse- Identification. Lin. Sp., 1472.; N. Du Ham., 3. p. 19.; Ait. Hort. Kew., ed. 1., 3. p. 16. Mém. Conif., p. 26. t. 4. f.1.; Polygonum marinum Tabern. Ic., 836.: P. quártum Plinii Clus. Hist.,92., Icon., t. 836.; P. lamifolium, &c., Bauh. Pin., 15.; E'phedra maritima màjor 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 Ri chard. 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. 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 sæ'pe 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. 1 4. E. FRAGILIS Desf. The fragile Ephedra. Identification. Desf. Fl. Alt., 2. p. 372.; N. Du Ham., 3. p. 19. 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. 5. E. AMERICA'NA Willd. The American Ephedra. Identification. Willd. Sp. Pl., 4. p. 860.; Kunth in Humb. et Bonpl. Nov. Gen. 2. p. 2.; Rich. Mém. Conif., p. 21. The Sexes. Both are on the same plant, as described and figured by Richard. Engravings. Rich, Mém. Conif., t. 29. f. 2.; and our fig. 1980. Spec. Char. Stems erect. Branches and 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 moncecious: male and female on the same branchlets, but from different joints; those of the male inferior and fewer in number; heads of f 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.) GENUS I. TA'XUS L. THE YEW. Lin. Syst. Dice'cia Monadelphia. Identification. Lin. Gen., 532.; Juss, 412.; Fl. Br., 1086.; Tourn., t. 362.; Lam., t. 829.; Gærtn. t. 81.; N. Du Ham., 1. p. 61.; Rich. Mém. Conif., p. 131. t. 2. Derivation. From toxon, a bow; being formerly much used in making them: or from taxis, arrangement; from the leaves being arranged on the branches like the teeth of a comb: or from toxicum, poison; though Pliny says that poison (toricum) was so named from this tree, which was considered poisonous. The derivation of the term Yew is supposed to be from the Celtic word iw, sometimes pronounced if, and signifying verdure; alluding to the yew being an evergreen; and this will also explain the French name, if. Description, &c. Evergreen low trees, with numerous, mostly linear, and entire leaves; natives of Europe and North America. Identification. Lin. Sp. Pl., 1472.; Willd. Sp., 4. p. 856.; Fl. Br., 1086.; Eng. Bot., t. 746.; Hook. Scot., 290.; Lightf., 626.; Fl. Dan., t. 1240.; Bull. Fr., t. 136.; Dicks. H. Sicc. Fasc., 16. 6.; Ehrh. Arb., 50.; N. Du Ham., 1. p. 62.; Eng. Fl., 4. p. 252.; Hook. Br. Fl., p. 434.; Mackay Fl. Hibern. p. 259.; Lindl. Synops., p. 241. Synonymes. Táxus, No. 1663., Hall. Hist., 2. p. 322., Raii Syn., 445., Ger. Em., 1370., Bauh. Hist., 1. p 241., Matth. Valgr., 2. p. 441., Cam. Epit., 840.; If, Fr. ; Ifenbaum, Ihenbaum, or Eihenbaum, Ger.; Taxo, Ital.; Texo Span. The Sexes. The yew being almost always raised from seed, the male and female plants may be supposed to be nearly equally distributed, both in natural woods and in artificial plantations. According to Miller and Lamarck, both sexes are sometimes found on the same tree; and the fact will be found confirmed in a future page. As far as we have been able to observe, says White of Selborne, the male tree becomes much larger than the female one. (Nat. Hist. of Selb., ed. 1789.) Engravings. Eng. Bot., t. 746.; Fl. Dan., t. 1240.; Bull. Fr., t. 156.; Ger. Emac., 1370. f.; Bauh. Hist., 1. p. 241. f.; Matth. Valgr., 2. p. 444. f.; Cam. Epit., p. 840. f.; N. Du Ham., 1. t. 19.; Blackw., t. 572.; Du Ham. Arb., 2. t. 86.; Oelhaf. Abbild., t. 23, 24.; Gærtn. Fruct., t. 91. f. 6; and the plates of this tree in our last Volume. Spec. Char., &c. Leaves 2-ranked, crowded, linear, flat. Receptacle of the barren flowers globular. (Smith Eng. Fl.) A tree, indigenous to most parts of Europe; flowering in March and April, and ripening its fruit in September. Varieties. T. b. 2 fastigiata; T. fastigiata Lindl.; T. hibérnica Hook., Lodd. Cat., Florence Court, Yew; the Irish Yew. the shrubbery of James Andrews, Esq., from a drawing by W. G. Johnson, Esq., of Fortfield, near Belfast, kindly procured for us by Mr. Mackay. The drawing was accompanied by the following description, by Mr. C. J. Andrews, the son of the proprietor of the tree: -This yew is 21 ft. high; the diameter of the head is 16 ft. 6 in., and the circumference of the trunk, at 1 ft. from the ground, is 4 ft. 5 in. "The tree resembles an inverted cone formed of numerous richly foliated tapering branches, of a deep green, and studded, in autumn, with scarlet coral-coloured berries. The head of the tree is formed by numerous branches springing up from a main stem of only 1 ft. 6 in. high. These branches vary much in thickness and height; about ten of the largest having the diameter of a foot each. Their form and growth are, however, very uniform, being richly encircled with innumerable small plume-like shoots, growing vertically along the main branches, of about 6 in. in length, and thickly clothed with narrow decussated leaves of about 1 in. in length; and all so feathering the several arms, as to form the lengthened plumes exhibited by the drawing; about fifty of which easily waved sombre plumes form the top of the tree. The exact age of this yew is unknown: it was planted by John Andrews, Esq., father of its present owner; and it has been certainly 50 years in its present situation. This kind of yew is now very generally and extensively planted here in ornamental plantations; and I can trace much of its propagation, even in Dublin, to the trees sent thither as presents by my grandfather.-C. J. A., Dublin, Nov. 1836." There are two trees of this variety at Nether Place, near Mauchline, Ayrshire, respecting which the following information has been transmitted to us by Mr. John Davidson, gardener, at Nether Place. "In compliance with your request I have again measured the Irish yews in Mr. Campbell's garden at Nether Place. I cannot ascertain the age of the trees, but I am informed by Miss Campbell, that, about 40 or 50 years ago, they failed at their tops, and were then cut over, which, indeed, appears evident on examining the trunks. There are now 66 upright branches from the one trunk, and 56 upright branches from the other, each measuring from 6 in. to 2 ft. in circumference. In appearance the two trees are exactly alike: the larger is 22 ft. 6 in., and the smaller 20 ft. 8 in. in height; the circumference of the larger head is 66 ft. 9 in., and of the smaller 66 ft. 3 in.; the circumference of the larger trunk is 9 ft., and of the smaller 8 ft.; and the trunk of each tree rises about 2 ft. from the soil before it begins to throw out branches. Both trees are in perfect health. These yews must be of slow growth; since, 10 years ago, I propagated some plants from the old trees, and the greatest progress they have made in that space of time is 5 ft. 6 in. in height." A beautiful drawing of one of these trees, was sent to us by Mr. Davidson, but it came too late to be engraved. One at Balcarras, in Fifeshire, was, in 1834, 15 ft. high. This variety is readily propagated by cuttings put in in autumn in sand, and covered with a hand-glass. It well deserves culture, more especially in small gardens. T. b. 3 procumbens; T. procumbens Lodd. Cat., ed. 1836; is a low and somewhat trailing shrub, not very common in collections. It is |