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Show APFEJSTUX D.^ BOTlNT. 895 bifid at the summit. The spikes are cylindrical and are not jointed; the flowers being alternate, and. immersed in deep excavations of the rachis. They calyx is quadrangular, and consists of four cohering Bepals, which are cucullate, ' spongy at the summit, and at length separate from each other. There is but a solitary stamen. The seed is loose in the utricle, oblong, and the ambryo forms abotit half of an ellipse. OBIOVB CANESCENS, Moq. Chenop. p.- 74, and 0. $ ecidentoti$ f Moq. in D. C. Pr6dr. 11, p. 112. Pteroehiton occidentale, Torr. and Frem.: in Fr& n. second Rep. p. 318. Obione tetraptera, Bentb* Bot. Voy. Sulph. p. 48.- On Green River. Fr. September 10. This is a variable " species, especially in the characters of the mature fructiferous calyx. Sometimes it is furnished with short, 1 irregular- toothed wings,., and at other times the . wings are very broad and nearly entire. 0. CONFERTIFLOBA, Torr. and Fre* m. 1. c- With the preceding, ABRONIA MKLLEFERA, Doug. Miss. Hook. Fl. Bor. Amer. 2, p. 12&, Bot. Mag- 1- 2879.- Strong's Knob, Salt Lake. Fl. June 10. ^ Easily distinguished from A. umbettdta by its broad involucral leaves and green' flowers. A. micranthu*, Torr. in Fremont's * firsi Report, p. 96> and in Emory's Report, p. 149, seems to be a particular state of the plant, in which it bears, very small but perfect flowers. In those works I Noticed the peculiarity of the embryo; the inner cotyledon being constantly abortive. The same character exists iA all the species of this genus: but I have not observed it in any other nyotagineous plant. SHEPHSRDIA ARGENTEA, Nutt. Gen. Amer. Pi. 2.- Black's Fork of the Green River. Fr. September 12. EPHEDRA AMERICANA, Willd. Spec* PI. 4, p. 860? Endl., Sypops. Conif. p^ 254.- Shore of the Salt Lake. A leafless shrub with very numerous branches, growing about four feet high. . It is very doubtful whether it be the same as Willdenow's plant, which is - a native of Quito. Although it is not uncommon in jbhe interior of California and in New Mexico, I have never received the female, flower or. the fruit. All my specimens are males. 2?. ameruana is desoribed as monoecious. The Ephedra noticed in Emory's . Report under the name of E, occidentalism ( a mistake for JS. mneru cana), differs from this species in its three- parted sheaths with long subulate points. |
