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Show APPENDIX D.- BOTANY. 395 bifid at the summit. The spikes are cylindrical and are not jointed; the flowers being alternate, and immersed in deep excavations of the rachis. The calyx is quadrangular, and consists of four cohering sepals, 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 embryo forms about half of an ellipse. OBIONE CANESCBNS, Moq. Chenop. p. 74, and 0. occidentals, Moq. in D. C. Prodr. 11, p. 112. Pterochiton occidental, Torr. and Frfem., in Fr6n. second Rep. p. 318. Obione tetraptera, Benth. 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, irregular- toothed wings, and at other times the wings are very broad and nearly entire. 0. CONFBBTIFLORA, Torr. and Fr6m. 1. c.- With the preceding. ABRONIA MELLIFERA, Doug. Miss. Hook. Fl. Bor. Amer. 2, p. 125, Bot. Mag. 1. 2879.- Strong's Knob, Salt Lake. Fl. June 10. Easily distinguished from A. umbellata by its broad involucral leaves and green flowers. A. micranthus, Torr. in Fremont's first 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 in all the species of this genus: but I have not observed it in any other nyctagineous plant. SHEPHERDIA 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. Synops. 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 the interior of California and in New Mexico, I have never received the female flower or the fruit. All my specimens are males. U. americana is described as monoecious. The Ephedra noticed in Emory's Report under the name of JE. occidentals, ( a mistake for JE. americana), differs from this species in its three- parted sheaths with long subulate points. |