Ephedra fasciculata

Shrubs erect or prostrate, 0.5--1 m. Bark gray, cracked and fissured. Branches opposite or whorled, rigid, angle of divergence about 30°. Twigs pale green, becoming yellow with age, not viscid, usually smooth or very slightly scabrous, with numerous longitudinal grooves; internodes 1--5 cm. Terminal buds conic, 1--3 mm, apex obtuse. Leaves 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 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 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. Seeds 1(--2), ellipsoid, 5--12 × 3--5 mm, light brown, longitudinally furrowed.

Coning March--April. Dry rocky slopes, washes, and sandy areas; 300--1200 m; Ariz., Calif., Nev., Utah.

FNA 1993, Kearny and Peebles 1979

Common Name: Arizona jointfir Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Shrub General: Shrubs erect or prostrate, 0.5--1 m. Bark gray, cracked and fissured. Branches opposite or whorled, rigid, angle of divergence about 30-. Twigs pale green, becoming yellow with age, not viscid, usually smooth or very slightly scabrous, with numerous longitudinal grooves; internodes 1--5 cm. Terminal buds conic, 1--3 mm, apex obtuse. Needles: Leaves opposite, 1--3 mm, connate to 1/2--3/4 their length; bases membranous, brown, shredding and becoming gray with age, - persistent; apex obtuse. Cones: Pollen cones 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 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. Seeds: Seeds 1(--2), ellipsoid, 5--12 3--5 mm, light brown, longitudinally furrowed. Ecology: Coning March--April. Dry rocky slopes, washes, and sandy areas; 300--1200 m (984-3937 ft) Distribution: Ariz., Calif., Nev., Utah. Notes: Benson considered E. fasciculata to be a synonym of E. nevadensis var. aspera. According to the FNA key, E. aspera has twigs usually scabrous; bracts of pollen cones yellow to red-brown; seeds smooth to slightly scabrous. E. fasciculata has twigs smooth or very slightly scabrous; bracts of pollen cones light yellow; seeds furrowed. Both species have persistent and shredding leaf bases which are brown and turning gray with age, while E. nevadensis has brown, completely deciduous leaf bases. Synonyms: Ephedra clokeyi, E. aspera- Editor: pasted from FNA