OregonFlora: Ephedra nevadensis

	Ephedra nevadensis
	Nevada ephedra
Habit	Shrubs 0.25–1 m.
Branches	alternate or whorled, angle of divergence about 45°; twigs pale green to bluish green, fading to gray, glaucous when young.
Buds	conic; apex obtuse.
Leaves	opposite, rarely in whorls of 3, 2–6 mm long, deciduous; leaf bases gray.
Pollen cones	1–5 per node, ellipsoid, 4–8 mm.
Seeds	1–2, globose to ellipsoid, 6–9 mm; smooth.
Seed cones	1–several per node, globose, 5–10 mm; bracts opposite, 3–5 pairs, circular; margins entire, brown to green center.
2n	=28.

	Ephedra nevadensis
Distribution	[WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]
Discussion	Dry, rocky slopes and sandy flats. 0–1900 m. BR. CA, NV; southeast to AZ. Native. Typically coning in late winter to early spring, Ephedra nevadensis is most easily distinguished from our only other Ephedra species, E. viridis, by the bluish green color of its twigs.
Source	Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 115 Stephen Meyers
Sibling taxa	E. viridis
Web links	Local floras: CA, OR Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos, Flora NW, PNW Herbaria WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Ephedra nevadensis

Nevada ephedra

Habit

Shrubs 0.25–1 m.

Branches

alternate or whorled, angle of divergence about 45°;

twigs pale green to bluish green, fading to gray, glaucous when young.

Buds

conic;

apex obtuse.

Leaves

opposite, rarely in whorls of 3, 2–6 mm long, deciduous;

leaf bases gray.

Pollen cones

1–5 per node, ellipsoid, 4–8 mm.

Seeds

1–2, globose to ellipsoid, 6–9 mm; smooth.

Seed cones

1–several per node, globose, 5–10 mm;

bracts opposite, 3–5 pairs, circular;

margins entire, brown to green center.

=28.

Ephedra nevadensis

Distribution

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

Dry, rocky slopes and sandy flats. 0–1900 m. BR. CA, NV; southeast to AZ. Native.

Typically coning in late winter to early spring, Ephedra nevadensis is most easily distinguished from our only other Ephedra species, E. viridis, by the bluish green color of its twigs.

Source

Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 115
Stephen Meyers

Sibling taxa

E. viridis

Web links