Ephedra torreyana
Ephedra funerea
Mormon-tea, Torrey's Ephedra, Torrey's joint fir
Death Valley Ephedra, Death Valley jointfir, funera Mormon tea
alternate or whorled, rigid, angle of divergence about 45°.
alternate or whorled, rigid, angle of divergence about 60°.
blue-green, becoming gray with age, glaucous, with numerous very fine longitudinal grooves;
internodes 2–5 cm.
gray-green, becoming gray with age, glaucous, slightly scabrous, with numerous very fine longitudinal grooves;
internodes 2–6 cm.
in whorls of 3, 2–5 mm, connate to 2/3 their length;
bases becoming gray and shredded with age;
apex acute.
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.
1–4 at node, ovoid, 6–8 mm, sessile;
bracts in 6–9 whorls of 3, cream to pale yellow, ovate, slightly clawed, 2–4 × 2–4 mm, membranous;
bracteoles slightly exceeding bracts;
sporangiophores 2–4 mm, exserted to 1/2 their length, with 5–8 sessile to short-stalked microsporangia.
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.
cones 1–several at node, ovoid, 9–15 mm, sessile;
bracts in 5 or 6 whorls of 3, obovate, 6–9 × 6–10 mm, papery, translucent with orange-yellow to greenish yellow center and base, base clawed, margins minutely dentate, undulate.
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.
buds conic, less than 4 mm.
buds conic, 1–4 mm, apex acute.
Ephedra torreyana
Ephedra funerea
Ephedra torreyana is known to form hybrids with two other species of Ephedra as reported and described by H. C. Cutler (1939). The first of these is E. × intermixta Cutler, the hybrid between E. torreyana and E. trifurca. This hybrid occurs in a small area of southwestern New Mexico (near Engle, Sierra County) within the zone of sympatry of the two parental species; it may be fertile (mature seeds are formed). It is intermediate in most characters but can be identified by its combination of the spinelike terminal buds of E. trifurca and the scabrous, light yellow seeds of E. torreyana.
The second hybrid is Ephedra × arenicola Cutler, the hybrid between E. torreyana and E. cutleri. This hybrid is known only from the type locality in extreme northeastern Arizona (near Dennehotso, Apache County) in an area of sympatry of the parental species. This hybrid is intermediate in most characters, but it can be distinguished by its combination of the setaceous leaves, viscid stems, and long-pedunculate seed cones of E. cutleri with the persistent, whorled leaves of E. torreyana.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Of conservation concern.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CalFlora
SW CO Wildflowers
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
