Ephedra nevadensis |
Ephedra fasciculata |
|
---|---|---|
Nevada Ephedra, Nevada jointfir, Nevada Mormon tea |
fasciculate Ephedra |
|
Habit | Shrubs erect, 0.25–1.5 m. | Shrubs erect or prostrate, 0.5–1 m. |
Bark | gray, fissured. |
gray, cracked and fissured. |
Branches | alternate or whorled, rigid, angle of divergence about 45°. |
opposite or whorled, rigid, angle of divergence about 30°. |
Twigs | pale green, becoming yellow with age, not viscid, glaucous, with numerous longitudinal grooves; internodes 1–6 cm. |
pale green, becoming yellow with age, not viscid, usually smooth or very slightly scabrous, with numerous longitudinal grooves; 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, 1–3 mm, connate to 1/2–3/4 their length; bases membranous, brown, shredding and becoming gray with age, ± persistent; apex obtuse. |
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, ellipsoid to obovoid, 4–8 mm, sessile; bracts opposite, 4–8 pairs, light yellow, obovate, 2–3 × 2 mm, membranous, slightly connate at base; bracteoles exceeding bracts; sporangiophores 3–9 mm, 1/4–3/4 exserted, with 6–10 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 ellipsoid, 6–13 mm, sessile or on short peduncles; bracts opposite, 4–7 pairs, elliptic, 3–7 × 2–4 mm, membranous with light brown to green, thickened center and base, slightly connate at base, margins entire. |
Terminal | buds conic, 1–3 mm, apex obtuse. |
buds conic, 1–3 mm, apex obtuse. |
2n | = 14, 28. |
|
Ephedra nevadensis |
Ephedra fasciculata |
|
Phenology | Coning late winter–midspring. | Coning March–April. |
Habitat | Dry, rocky slopes and hills, rarely in sandy flat areas | Dry rocky slopes, washes, and sandy areas |
Elevation | 700–1900 m (2300–6200 ft) | 300–1200 m (1000–3900 ft) |
Distribution |
AZ; CA; NV; OR; UT
|
AZ; CA; NV; UT |
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. clokeyi, E. fasciculata var. clokeyi |
Name authority | S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 298. (1879) | A. Nelson: Amer. J. Bot. 21: 573. (1934) |
Web links |