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green Ephedra, green Mormon tea, Mormon tea

Cutler's Ephedra, Cutler's jointfir, Cutler's Mormon tea, Navajo Ephedra

Habit Shrubs erect, 0.5–1 m. Shrubs rhizomatous, forming clumps, erect, 0.25–1.5 m, 3–5 m diam.
Bark

gray, cracked and irregularly fissured.

reddish brown, cracked and irregularly fissured.

Branches

alternate or whorled, rigid, angle of divergence about 30°.

alternate or whorled, rigid, angle of divergence about 25°.

Twigs

bright green to yellow-green, becoming yellow with age, not viscid, ridges between longitudinal grooves barely papillate, smooth;

internodes 1–5 cm.

bright green, becoming yellow-green with age, viscid, ridges between longitudinal grooves papillate;

internodes 1–5 cm.

Leaves

opposite, 2–5 mm, connate to 1/2–3/4 their length, not photosynthetic;

bases thickened, brown, persistent, becoming hard, enlarged, and black;

apex setaceous.

opposite, 2–5 mm, connate to 1/4–1/2 their length;

bases thickened, brown, persistent;

apex setaceous.

Pollen cones

2–several at node, obovoid, 5–7 mm, sessile;

bracts opposite, 6–10 pairs, light yellow and slightly reddened, ovate, 2–4 × 2–3 mm, membranous, slightly connate at base;

bracteoles slightly exceeding bracts;

sporangiophores 2–4 mm, 1/4–1/2 exserted, with 5–8 sessile to nearly sessile 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 2–several at node, obovoid, 6–10 mm, sessile or on short, scaly peduncles;

bracts opposite, 4–8 pairs, ovate, 4–7 × 2–4 mm, membranous or papery, with yellow center and base, 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, 1–2 mm, apex obtuse.

buds conic, 1–3 mm.

2n

= 28.

Ephedra viridis

Ephedra cutleri

Phenology Coning spring. Coning late winter–midspring (Mar–May).
Habitat Dry rocky slopes and canyon walls Dry, flat, sandy areas, occasionally on rocky slopes
Elevation 800–2500 m [2600–8200 ft] 1400–2300 m [4600–7500 ft]
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; NM; NV; OR; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CO; NM; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

The hybrid Ephedra × arenicola is discussed under E. torreyana.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 2. Treatment author: Dennis Wm. Stevenson. FNA vol. 2. Treatment author: Dennis Wm. Stevenson.
Parent taxa Ephedraceae > Ephedra Ephedraceae > Ephedra
Sibling taxa
E. antisyphilitica, E. aspera, E. californica, E. coryi, E. cutleri, E. fasciculata, E. funerea, E. nevadensis, E. pedunculata, E. torreyana, E. trifurca
E. antisyphilitica, E. aspera, E. californica, E. coryi, E. fasciculata, E. funerea, E. nevadensis, E. pedunculata, E. torreyana, E. trifurca, E. viridis
Synonyms E. nevadensis var. pluribracteata, E. nevadensis var. viridis E. coryi var. viscida, E. viridis var. viscida
Name authority Coville: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 4: 220. (1893) Peebles: J. Wash. Acad. Sci. 30: 473. (1940)
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