Ephedra funerea |
Ephedra trifurca |
|
---|---|---|
Death Valley Ephedra, Death Valley jointfir, funera Mormon tea |
long leafed Ephedra, longleaf Ephedra, longleaf jointfir, Mexican-tea |
|
Habit | Shrubs erect, 0.25–1.5 m. | Shrubs erect, 0.5–5 m. |
Bark | gray, slightly cracked and irregularly fissured. |
gray, cracked and irregularly fissured. |
Branches | alternate or whorled, rigid, angle of divergence about 60°. |
alternate or whorled, rigid, angle of divergence about 30°. |
Twigs | gray-green, becoming gray with age, glaucous, slightly scabrous, with numerous very fine longitudinal grooves; internodes 2–6 cm. |
pale green, becoming yellow, then gray with age, glaucous, with numerous very fine longitudinal grooves; internodes 3–10 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. |
in whorls of 3, 5–15 mm, connate to 1/2–3/4 their length; bases becoming gray and shredded with age; apex spinose. |
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. |
1–several at node, obovoid, 6–10 mm, on short, scaly peduncles; bracts in 8–12 whorls of 3, reddish brown, obovate, slightly clawed, 3–4 × 2–3 mm, membranous; bracteoles nearly equaling bracts; sporangiophores 4–5 mm, exserted to 1/4 their length, with 4–5 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. |
cones 1–several at node, obovoid, 10–15 mm, on short, scaly peduncles (rarely sessile); bracts in 6–9 whorls of 3, circular, 8–12 × 8–12 mm, papery, translucent with reddish brown center and base, base clawed, margins entire. |
Terminal | buds conic, 1–4 mm, apex acute. |
buds spinelike, to 10 mm. |
Ephedra funerea |
Ephedra trifurca |
|
Phenology | Coning March–April. | Coning late winter–early spring. |
Habitat | Sandy, dry soil and rocky scrub areas | Dry rocky slopes to flat sandy areas |
Elevation | 500–1500 m (1600–4900 ft) | 500–2000 m (1600–6600 ft) |
Distribution |
CA; NV
|
AZ; CA; NM; TX; Mexico in Baja California; Chihuahua; Coahuila; Sonora
|
Discussion | Of conservation concern. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
The hybrid Ephedra × intermixta is discussed under E. torreyana. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 2. | FNA vol. 2. |
Parent taxa | Ephedraceae > Ephedra | Ephedraceae > Ephedra |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | E. californica var. funerea | |
Name authority | Coville & C. V. Morton: J. Wash. Acad. Sci. 25: 307. (1935) | Torrey ex S. Watson: Botany (Fortieth Parallel): 329. (1871) |
Web links |