Ephedra nevadensis |
Ephedra trifurca |
|
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Nevada Ephedra, Nevada jointfir, Nevada Mormon tea |
long leafed Ephedra, longleaf Ephedra, longleaf jointfir, Mexican-tea |
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Habit | Shrubs erect, 0.25–1.5 m. | Shrubs erect, 0.5–5 m. |
Bark | gray, fissured. |
gray, cracked and irregularly fissured. |
Branches | alternate or whorled, rigid, angle of divergence about 45°. |
alternate 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, then gray with age, glaucous, with numerous very fine longitudinal grooves; internodes 3–10 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. |
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–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. |
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–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 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, 1–3 mm, apex obtuse. |
buds spinelike, to 10 mm. |
2n | = 14, 28. |
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Ephedra nevadensis |
Ephedra trifurca |
|
Phenology | Coning late winter–midspring. | Coning late winter–early spring. |
Habitat | Dry, rocky slopes and hills, rarely in sandy flat areas | Dry rocky slopes to flat sandy areas |
Elevation | 700–1900 m (2300–6200 ft) | 500–2000 m (1600–6600 ft) |
Distribution |
AZ; CA; NV; OR; UT
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AZ; CA; NM; TX; Mexico in Baja California; Chihuahua; Coahuila; Sonora
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Discussion | 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. antisyphilitica, E. antisyphilitica var. pedunculata, E. nevadensis var. paucibracteata | |
Name authority | S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 298. (1879) | Torrey ex S. Watson: Botany (Fortieth Parallel): 329. (1871) |
Web links |