Jepson Herbarium
		University of California, Berkeley

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Indexes to all accepted names and synonyms: | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |

Shrub; generally dioecious; taproot deep.
Stem: erect, prostrate, occasionally climbing, jointed, much branched, green in youth; branchlets opposite or whorled, cylindric, longitudinally grooved; pith brown or white.
Leaf: simple, 2 (each pair at right angles to adjacent pairs) or 3 per node, scale-like, ± fused at base into membranous sheath, generally ephemeral; resin canals 0.
Cone: axillary ( terminal), sessile or not, 1–many per node, ovoid or ellipsoid.
Pollen cone: bracts 2–3 per node, proximal sterile, distal subtending 2 basally fused bractlets subtending a stalk with 2–10(15) sessile to stalked, anther-like parts with 2 apical pores.
Seed cone: stalk 1–11(50) mm, generally straight, naked or with reduced basal bracts; distal bracts in (2)4–10 pairs or whorls, free or fused, brown or green, scarious or fleshy, subtending 2 fused leathery bractlets enclosing 1 ovule.
Seed: 1–3(4) per cone (in ×-section, ± round if 1, ± semicircular if 2, ± triangular if 3, etc.), ± spheric to ellipsoid or lance- ovoid, beaked or not.
1 genus, ± 50 species: arid, semi-arid (to tropical) regions of n Africa, Asia, Eur, North America, South America. [Ickert-Bond 2003 Ph.D. Dissertation Arizona State Univ] —Scientific Editor: Thomas J. Rosatti.
Unabridged references: [Cutler 1939 Ann Missouri Bot Gard 57:373–428; Ickert-Bond 2003. Systematics of New World Ephedra L. (Ephedraceae): Integrating morphological and molecular data. Ph.D. Dissertation, Arizona State Univ, Tempe, Arizona, 363 pp; Stapf, O. 1889. Die Arten der Gattung Ephedra. Denkschrift der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Klasse 56:1–112]

Stem: spreading to generally erect, 0.3–2(4.5) m; uppermost bud generally conic, generally not thorn-like. (Greek: sitting upon, from jointed stems and/or ancient name for Equisetum, also with jointed stems)

Stem: < 1.5 m; twig gray-green, aging gray; uppermost bud narrowed but not thorn-like; pith brown.
Leaf: generally 3 per node, < 5 mm; base persistent, not recurved, not swollen.
Pollen cone: 1–3 per node, 5–8 mm; bracts 3 per node.
Seed cone: 1–3 per node, 9–13 mm, elliptic, stalk 0 or < 1 mm, straight, basal bracts reduced; distal bracts 3 per node, obovate, membranous, ± green, ± thickened, margin wide, yellow-translucent, stalk-like base wide.
Seed: 1(3), 6–9 mm, barely 3 × as long as wide, beaked, smooth to scabrous with minute, spreading papillae.
2n=56+B. Dry rocky slopes in creosote-bush scrub; 360–1700 m. Mojave Desert;

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Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) [year] Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/IJM.html [accessed on month, day, year]
Citation for an individual treatment: [Author of taxon treatment] [year]. [Taxon name] in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, [URL for treatment]. Accessed on [month, day, year].

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Bioregions in which taxon occurs	Red area (if present) is the part of the bioregion lying between the upper and lower elevation limits of the taxon; markers link to CCH specimen records. If the markers are obscured, reload the page [or change window size and reload]. Yellow markers indicate records that may provide evidence for eFlora range revision or may have georeferencing or identification issues.
Chart based on elevation range in Manual and elevations and coordinates of CCH records. Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria. Note: About half of the CCH records include both elevation and coordinates.	Map made in collaboration with Scott Loarie. Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria. View all CCH records   CCH collections by month Duplicates counted once; synonyms included. Species do not include records of infraspecific taxa. Blue line denotes Manual flowering time.