Long-leaf Joint-Fir
Mormon Tea

Ephedra trifurca

Sketched from live specimen.
     The swellings in the stems are galls caused by the feeding activity of minute larvae of a gall midge, Asphondylia sp. At lower left is a detail view of a cone scale.

CONES: This is a conifer and so seeds and pollen are borne in cones and in this case on separate plants. The male cones are up to 1 cm and the female seed cones are usu. longer than 1 cm. Cones may be absent for extended periods due to drought.

LEAVES: Three needle-like leaves at each node with rather sharp tips. There are also some persistent fibers around and below the leaves.

RANGE: Common locally on creosote desert flats in the Sonoran Desert from southeastern California and ranging eastward into similar habitat in the Chihuahuan Desert.

SHRUB: Woody shrub usually well under 2 meters tall, however under ideal conditions this plant can reach tree-size (see photos below). Jointed stems are green and photosynthetic.

ARMED. The leaves and stems have variously sharp tips.

Ephedraceae -- Joint Fir Family

More Information:

• Jepson Manual
• Southwest Environmental Information Network
• USDA Plant Profile
• ITIS Taxanomic Report
• Google Images
• Google Scholar Literature Search

When tree-sized the bark becomes fibrous and deeply furrowed. Observed within the dry riverbed of the Hassayampa near Palo Verde, Maricopa Co., Arizona, Aug. 2010.

This desert tree growing in the dry riverbed of the Hassayampa near Palo Verde, Maricopa Co., Arizona, was about 5m tall. Aug. 2010.