Ephedra cutleri

Peebles

J. Wash. Acad. Sci. 30: 473. 1940.

Common names: Navajo ephedra
Endemic
Synonyms: Ephedra coryi var. viscida Cutler Ephedra viridis var. viscida (Cutler) L. D. Benson
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 2.

Shrubs rhizomatous, forming clumps, erect, 0.25–1.5 m, 3–5 m diam. Bark reddish-brown, cracked and irregularly fissured. Branches alternate or whorled, rigid, angle of divergence about 25°. Twigs bright green, becoming yellow-green with age, viscid, ridges between longitudinal grooves papillate; internodes 1–5 cm. Terminal buds conic, 1–3 mm. Leaves 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, 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-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. Seeds 2, ellipsoid, 5–8 × 2–4 mm, brown to chestnut, smooth.


Phenology: Coning late winter–midspring (Mar–May).
Habitat: Dry, flat, sandy areas, occasionally on rocky slopes
Elevation: 1400–2300 m

Distribution

V2 257-distribution-map.gif

Ariz., Colo., N.Mex., Utah.

Discussion

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

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"/4-1/2" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.

... more about "Ephedra cutleri"
setaceous +
Dennis Wm. Stevenson +
Peebles +
reddish-brown +
fissured +
persistent +
light yellow +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
membranous +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
whorled +  and alternate +
yellowish green;olive-green +
Navajo ephedra +
0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br /> (1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br />) +
obovoid +  and nearly globose +
on short to long peduncle +, sessile +  and compound +
subtending +
Ariz. +, Colo. +, N.Mex. +  and Utah. +
1400–2300 m +
Dry, flat, sandy areas, occasionally on rocky slopes +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br />) +
ephemeral +
connate +
photosynthetic +
scale-like +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
sessile +  and short-stalked +
single-integumented +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
Coning late winter–midspring (Mar–May). +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
whorled +, opposite +  and overlapping +
fleshy +, papery +  and membranous +
J. Wash. Acad. Sci. +
ellipsoid;ovoid obovoid or nearly globose +
brown +  and chestnut +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
smooth to scabrous +
ellipsoid +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
Ephedra coryi var. viscida +  and Ephedra viridis var. viscida +
Ephedra cutleri +
species +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
yellow-green +  and bright green +
300 cm3,000 mm <br />3 m <br /> (500 cm5,000 mm <br />5 m <br />) +