Ephedra torreyana
Ephedra pedunculata
Mormon-tea, Torrey's Ephedra, Torrey's joint fir
clap-weed, vine jointfir
alternate or whorled, rigid, angle of divergence about 45°.
alternate (rarely whorled), lax, angle of divergence about 55°.
blue-green, becoming gray with age, glaucous, with numerous very fine longitudinal grooves;
internodes 2–5 cm.
gray-green, becoming green, then yellow-green with age, glaucous, with several moderately deep longitudinal grooves;
internodes 1–8 cm.
in whorls of 3, 2–5 mm, connate to 2/3 their length;
bases becoming gray and shredded with age;
apex acute.
opposite, 1–3 mm, connate to 2/3–7/8 their length;
bases splitting at margins, persistent;
apex obtuse.
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.
1–2 at node, lanceoloid, 4–8 mm, sessile or on short to long, smooth peduncles;
bracts opposite, 6–12 pairs, light yellow to reddish, obovate, 2–4 × 2–3 mm, membranous, free or slightly connate at base;
bracteoles barely exceeding bracts;
sporangiophores 3–5 mm, exserted to 1/2 their length, with 4–6 long-stalked (1–2 mm) 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 1–2 at node, ovoid, 6–10 mm, on short to long, smooth peduncles;
bracts opposite, 3–6 pairs, 3–4 × 2–3 mm, ovate, connate to 1/8–7/8 their length, inner pairs becoming succulent and red when ripe.
buds conic, less than 4 mm.
buds attenuate, 1–3 mm.
Ephedra torreyana
Ephedra pedunculata
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
