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Death Valley Ephedra, Death Valley jointfir, funera Mormon tea

Habit Shrubs erect, 0.25–1.5 m.
Bark

gray, slightly cracked and irregularly fissured.

Branches

alternate or whorled, rigid, angle of divergence about 60°.

Twigs

gray-green, becoming gray with age, glaucous, slightly scabrous, with numerous very fine longitudinal grooves;

internodes 2–6 cm.

Leaves

in whorls of 3, 2–6 mm, connate to 2/3–3/4 their length;

bases splitting at margins, persistent, forming black, thickened collar;

apex acute.

Pollen cones

1–3 at node, narrowly ellipsoid, 5–8 mm, on very short, scaly peduncles (rarely sessile);

bracts in 6–9 whorls of 3, light yellow, ovate, 3–4 × 2–3 mm, membranous, base short-clawed;

bracteoles equaling bracts;

sporangiophores 3–5 mm, exserted to 1/3 their length, with 3–7 sessile to short-stalked microsporangia.

Seed(s)

cones 1–3 at node, lance-obovoid, 8–15 mm, on short, scaly peduncles (rarely sessile);

bracts in 6–9 whorls of 3, obovate, 4–8 × 3–5 mm, papery, yellow-translucent with green-yellow center and base, base broadly clawed, margins slightly dentate.

Terminal

buds conic, 1–4 mm, apex acute.

Ephedra funerea

Phenology Coning March–April.
Habitat Sandy, dry soil and rocky scrub areas
Elevation 500–1500 m (1600–4900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; NV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

(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. cutleri, E. fasciculata, E. nevadensis, E. pedunculata, E. torreyana, E. trifurca, E. viridis
Synonyms E. californica var. funerea
Name authority Coville & C. V. Morton: J. Wash. Acad. Sci. 25: 307. (1935)
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