Ephedra nevadensis |
Ephedra cutleri |
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Nevada Ephedra, Nevada jointfir, Nevada Mormon tea |
Cutler's Ephedra, Cutler's jointfir, Cutler's Mormon tea, Navajo Ephedra |
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Habit | Shrubs erect, 0.25–1.5 m. | Shrubs rhizomatous, forming clumps, erect, 0.25–1.5 m, 3–5 m diam. |
Bark | gray, fissured. |
reddish brown, cracked and irregularly fissured. |
Branches | alternate or whorled, rigid, angle of divergence about 45°. |
alternate or whorled, rigid, angle of divergence about 25°. |
Twigs | pale green, becoming yellow with age, not viscid, glaucous, with numerous longitudinal grooves; internodes 1–6 cm. |
bright green, becoming yellow-green with age, viscid, ridges between longitudinal grooves papillate; internodes 1–5 cm. |
Leaves | opposite (rarely in whorls of 3), 2–4(–8) mm, connate to 1/2–3/4 their length; bases thickened, brown, completely deciduous; apex obtuse. |
opposite, 2–5 mm, connate to 1/4–1/2 their length; bases thickened, brown, persistent; apex setaceous. |
Pollen cones | 1–several at node, ellipsoid, 4–8 mm, sessile or on short peduncles with 2 pairs of basal bracts; bracts opposite, 5–9 pairs, yellow to light brown, obovate, 3–4 × 2–3 mm, membranous; bracteoles slightly exceeding bracts; sporangiophores 3–5 mm, exserted to 1/4–1/2 their length, with 6–9 sessile to short-stalked (less than 1 mm) microsporangia. |
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 1–several at node, nearly globose, 5–11 mm, on long peduncles, with 1–2 pairs of basal bracts; bracts opposite, 3–5 pairs, nearly circular, 4–8 × 3–6 mm, herbaceous, with light brown to yellow-green center, occasionally pinkish tinged, margins entire. |
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, apex obtuse. |
buds conic, 1–3 mm. |
2n | = 14, 28. |
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Ephedra nevadensis |
Ephedra cutleri |
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Phenology | Coning late winter–midspring. | Coning late winter–midspring (Mar–May). |
Habitat | Dry, rocky slopes and hills, rarely in sandy flat areas | Dry, flat, sandy areas, occasionally on rocky slopes |
Elevation | 700–1900 m (2300–6200 ft) | 1400–2300 m (4600–7500 ft) |
Distribution |
AZ; CA; NV; OR; UT
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AZ; CO; NM; UT
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Discussion | The hybrid Ephedra × arenicola is discussed under E. torreyana. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
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Source | FNA vol. 2. | FNA vol. 2. |
Parent taxa | Ephedraceae > Ephedra | Ephedraceae > Ephedra |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | E. antisyphilitica, E. antisyphilitica var. pedunculata, E. nevadensis var. paucibracteata | E. coryi var. viscida, E. viridis var. viscida |
Name authority | S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 298. (1879) | Peebles: J. Wash. Acad. Sci. 30: 473. (1940) |
Web links |