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Cutler's Ephedra, Cutler's jointfir, Cutler's Mormon tea, Navajo Ephedra

Habit Shrubs rhizomatous, forming clumps, erect, 0.25–1.5 m, 3–5 m diam.
Bark

reddish brown, cracked and irregularly fissured.

Branches

alternate or whorled, rigid, angle of divergence about 25°.

Twigs

bright green, becoming yellow-green with age, viscid, ridges between longitudinal grooves papillate;

internodes 1–5 cm.

Leaves

opposite, 2–5 mm, connate to 1/4–1/2 their length;

bases thickened, brown, persistent;

apex setaceous.

Pollen cones

2–several at node, obovoid, 4–6 mm, on very short, scaly peduncles (rarely sessile);

bracts opposite, 5–9 pairs, light yellow, ovate, 2–4 × 2–3 mm, membranous, slightly connate at base;

bracteoles slightly exceeding bracts;

sporangiophores 2–4 mm, barely exserted, with 5–7 sessile to short-stalked (less than 1 mm) microsporangia.

Seed(s)

cones 2–several at node, obovoid to nearly globose, 7–15 mm, peduncles 5–25 mm, with 1 pair of basal and 1 pair of nearly terminal bracts;

bracts opposite, 3 or 4 pairs, ovate, 3–6 × 2–5 mm, membranous, with yellow center and base, margins entire.

Terminal

buds conic, 1–3 mm.

Ephedra cutleri

Phenology Coning late winter–midspring (Mar–May).
Habitat Dry, flat, sandy areas, occasionally on rocky slopes
Elevation 1400–2300 m (4600–7500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CO; NM; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

The hybrid Ephedra × arenicola is discussed under E. torreyana.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 2.
Parent taxa Ephedraceae > Ephedra
Sibling taxa
E. antisyphilitica, E. aspera, E. californica, E. coryi, E. fasciculata, E. funerea, E. nevadensis, E. pedunculata, E. torreyana, E. trifurca, E. viridis
Synonyms E. coryi var. viscida, E. viridis var. viscida
Name authority Peebles: J. Wash. Acad. Sci. 30: 473. (1940)
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