Ephedra torreyana S. Wats. var. torreyana

Kelly Crowley, Native Plants of Arizona, Fall 2004
Common Name: Mormon-tea (2). Ephedra, Joint-Fir, Popotilla (4).
Family: Ephedraceae (1,2).
Synonymy:
Etymology: In honor of John Torrey (b. 1796- d. 1873), a major contributor to North American botany (7).

Identification
Growth Form: Dioecious subshrub/shrub (1). Medium-sized shrub which grows up to 4 feet high (3,5).
Roots:
Stems: Bark gray, cracked and irregularly fissured. Branches alternate or whorled, rigid, angle of divergence about 45°. Twigs blue-green, becoming gray with age, with numerous very fine longitudinal grooves (2). A thicket of numerous green, jointed, leafless branches with conspicuous nodes (3).
Leaves: Small scale-like leaves (3,5). Leaves in whorls of three, 2-5 mm long, fused to 2/3 their length; bases becoming gray and shredded with age apex acute (2).
Cones: (4). In the spring, female plants produce small green cones that form in axils. 1-2 seeds form inside the cone and the bracts of the cone opens revealing brownish mature seeds; male cones deciduous (6).
Similar Species: Ephedra viridis and Ephedra nevadensis have multiple stem growth form while Ephedra torreyana has a single crown growth form (1).

Ecology
Life History: Perennial shrub (4).
Native/Introduced: Native (4).
Photosynthetic Pathway:
Phenology: February through April (3).
Distribution: Southwest United States; Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Texas and Mexico in Chihuahua. Dry rocky to sandy areas; 500--2000 m (2). Mesas, plains, sandy soil including dunes below 5,000 ft (3). Mediterranean are, Asia and South America (6).

Uses
Infusion of stems used as a cough medicine, an ingredient in the sweatbath, chewed for kidney trouble, chewed for bladder trouble. Plant used for syphilis. Decoction of leaves and stems used to make a lotion for itching skin (3). Dried stems are steeped to make a bitter-tasting tea. The stems contain caffeine and ephedrine (stimulants) (5).

References

1. USDA, NRCS. 2004. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov) . National Plant Data Center , Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

2.  Ephedra torreyana [online] Retrieved December 2, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=233500609

3.  Mormon Tea [online] Retrieved December 9, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.desertusa.com/april97/du_mormontea.html

4.  Mormon Tea, Ephedra sp. [online] Retrieved December 9, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.naturesongs.com/vvplants/mormontea.html

5.  Ephedra (Mormon Tea) ( Ephedra spp) [online] Retrieved December 9, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://wc.pima.edu/Bfiero/tucsonecology/plants/shrubs_ephe.htm

6.  Ephedraceae, Mormon Tea, Joint Fir, Ephedra species [online] Retrieved December 9, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.livingdesert.org/plants/mormon_tea.asp

7.  Charters, Michael L. California Plant Names: Latin Name Meanings and Derivations [online] Retrieved December 9, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.calflora.net/botanicalnames/