Ephedra
(from Ephedra, the Greek name used by Pliny for the Hippuris, or Horse Tail, which it resembles). ORD. Gnetaceae. Low-growing evergreen trailing shrubs. The species (about thirty have been described) are natives of South Europe, North Africa, temperate and sub-tropical Asia, and extra-tropical America. They have small scale-like leaves, and numerous slender-jointed green branches. These curious little plants are rarely grown, but E. nebrodensis is very showy when covered with its scarlet berries. They are very suitable for rockwork, and require little water. Increased by layering the young shoots or branches.
E. distachya (two-spiked). A synonym of E. nebrodensis. E. monostachya (one-spiked). A synonym of E. vulgaris. E. nebrodensis (Nebrodean).* fl. whitish; catkins twin; peduncles opposite. July, August. Berries red. h. 3ft. to 4ft. South-Western Europe, 1750. An evergreen shrub, with numerous cylindrical wand-like branches, articulated, and furnished at each articulation with two small linear leaves. SYN. E. distachya.
E. vulgaris (common).* fl. whitish; catkins solitary; peduncles many. June, July. Berries red. h. 1ft. to 2ft. South Europe, 1772. An evergreen shrub, much smaller and hardier than E. nebrodensis. SYN. E. monostachya. (W. D. B. ii. 142.)