''Ephedra nevadensis'', commonly known as Nevada ephedra, gray ephedra, Mormon tea and Nevada jointfir, is a species of

gymnosperm The gymnosperms ( ; ) are a group of woody, perennial Seed plant, seed-producing plants, typically lacking the protective outer covering which surrounds the seeds in flowering plants, that include Pinophyta, conifers, cycads, Ginkgo, and gnetoph ...

native to dry areas of western North America. Its range extends west to

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

, east to

Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...

, north to

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

, and south to

Baja California Baja California, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California, is a state in Mexico. It is the northwesternmost of the 32 federal entities of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1952, the area was known as the North Territory of B ...

, including areas of the

Great Basin The Great Basin () is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds, those with no outlets to the ocean, in North America. It spans nearly all of Nevada, much of Utah, and portions of California, Idaho, Oregon, Wyoming, and Baja Californi ...

Colorado Plateau The Colorado Plateau is a physiographic and desert region of the Intermontane Plateaus, roughly centered on the Four Corners region of the Southwestern United States. This plateau covers an area of 336,700 km2 (130,000 mi2) within w ...

and desert

Southwest The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A '' compass rose'' is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west— ...

. It is found in rocky and sandy soils, generally in areas without trees.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, ''Ephedra nevadensis'' S. Watson
/ref> It can be found in a variety of environments but predominately grows in desert climates. It serves as a non toxic grazing source to both wild and domestic live stock. It posses a various amount of medicinal properties that can be used in a domestic setting. Historically, it is known for its usage in Mormon communities as tea. A common misconception is that ''Ephedra nevadensis'' contains ephedrine, a known stimulant however this is not true.

Ecology

''Ephedra nevadensis'' can grow across a vast variety of biomes including but not limited to shrub lands, desert climates, wooded areas as well as salty deserts. Growing in an arid climate does present threats to ''Ephedra nevadensis''. In particular, regional fires do sometimes occur but is not a common event due to the lack of foliage that would serve as fuel. The plants ability to re-establish from such an occurrence is directly related to length of burning season and fire severity.

Evolutionary history of seed dispersal

One study analyzed the reproductive ecology of various structures related to methods for seed dispersal across multiple Ephedra species. The resulting conclusion was that across ten separate species located in the arid climate of southwestern north America, structural diversity amongst the seeds/cones were able to be categorized into three types depending on location and dispersal type. Species that utilize wind dispersal were found to have light, winged structures on seed cones whereas some species had colorful seed components were adapted to captivate the attention of birds, their main seed dispersal method. The cones/seeds of ''Ephedra nevadensis'' were found have components of both animal and wind dispersal. As with many various plant species, reproductive means of seed dispersal is directly influenced by external factors such as animal populations and climate conditions, the study indicated that Ephedra species are no exception to this principle.

Reproduction

''Ephedra nevadensis'' lacks the usual biological benefits of a biotic relationship compared to other native species of plants. Animals that would otherwise benefit from such relationship gleaning nutritional foliage such as leaves, or the nectar of flowering buds would be more inclined to stray away from this species of Ephedra in instances of survival. In conjecture to this, the Ephedra species is much less capable of having other options of Cross-pollination such as insect pollination or any other form of Biotic pollination. Nevada ephedra is

wind-pollinated Anemophily or wind pollination is a form of pollination whereby pollen is distributed by wind. Almost all gymnosperms are anemophilous, as are many plants in the order Poales, including Poaceae, grasses, Cyperaceae, sedges, and Juncaceae, rushes. ...

, with male plants growing in dryer areas and female plants growing in wetter ones, an arrangement which is believed to increase the production of seed. Cones mature and pollination occurs in March to June, with seeds ripening in May to August, although seeds are not produced every year. In the wild, seeds are often spread by

rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the Order (biology), order Rodentia ( ), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and Mandible, lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal specie ...

s, and for cultivation, seeds can readily be collected and sown. The plant can also be propagated via transplants and cuttings. The absence of foliage is beneficial when it comes to gamete dispersal. The feature of having less foliage creates a better means of allowing wind to carry pollen, allowing for a more predictable and systematic form of pollination to occur. Although not typically grazed on by smaller rodents and insects, Ephedra Nevadensis is commonly grazed on by larger livestock such as cattle and sheep. More than other North American ''Ephedra'' species, it is a significant forage plant. It is grazed upon by

mule deer The mule deer (''Odocoileus hemionus'') is a deer indigenous to western North America; it is named for its ears, which are large like those of the mule. Two subspecies of mule deer are grouped into the black-tailed deer. Unlike the related whit ...

(''Odocoileus hemionus''),

pronghorn The pronghorn (, ) (''Antilocapra americana'') is a species of artiodactyl (even-toed, hoofed) mammal indigenous to interior western and central North America. Though not an antelope, it is known colloquially in North America as the American ante ...

(''Antilocapra americana''), and

desert bighorn sheep The desert bighorn sheep (''Ovis canadensis nelsoni'') is a subspecies of bighorn sheep (''Ovis canadensis'') that is native to the deserts of the United States' intermountain west and southwestern regions, as well as northwestern Mexico. The ...

(''Ovis canadensis'') as well as

domestic sheep Sheep (: sheep) or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are a domesticated, ruminant mammal typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus '' Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to ...

Grazing benefits and toxicity

A study was conducted to determine a better understanding of the nutritional potency of ''Ephedra nevadensis'' compared Ephedra with orchardgrass hay (Dactylis glomerata) and cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum). It was determined that Ephedra scored second in terms of having the most ammoniacal nitrogen, while also scoring highest in Ruminal pH. Results produced that Ephedra could be used as a grazing alternative but cannot be determined as exceptional in terms of nutrition or toxicity. In another study conducted to determine the toxicity of two different varieties of Ephedra (viridis, nevadensis) focusing on maternal and fetal toxicity in livestock, it was concluded that ''Ephedra nevadensis'' showed no dietary abnormalities or signs of ailment or toxicity in both the material party and offspring.

Uses

''Ephedra nevadensis'' was used for food and medicine by

indigenous people There is no generally accepted definition of Indigenous peoples, although in the 21st century the focus has been on self-identification, cultural difference from other groups in a state, a special relationship with their traditional territ ...

and for tea by

Mormons Mormons are a Religious denomination, religious and ethnocultural group, cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's d ...

. Currently, its biggest use is as forage for sheep and cattle (it is not as good for horses), and for habitat restoration. It is sometimes grown for ornamental purposes. Among the

Zuni people The Zuni (; formerly spelled ''Zuñi'') are Native American Pueblo peoples native to the Zuni River valley. The Zuni people today are federally recognized as the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico, and most live in the Pueblo o ...

an infusion of the whole plant, except for the root, is taken for

syphilis Syphilis () is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium ''Treponema pallidum'' subspecies ''pallidum''. The signs and symptoms depend on the stage it presents: primary, secondary, latent syphilis, latent or tertiary. The prim ...

. They also use it to make a tea-like beverage.Stevenson, p.67

Medicinal properties

Typically the stems are harvested for their beneficial health effects which include helping combat fluid build up and purifying blood. It can be used to treat gonorrhea, early stages of syphilis, topical sores, kidney issues and symptoms associated with respiratory problems. One such condition is asthma where the stems have reportedly helped alleviate pain thus improving the overall condition of the patient. Although other known species of Ephedra do contain ephedrine, ''Ephedra nevadensis'' does not produce this stimulant. This being said, this particular species of Ephedra can be utilized domestic settings to treat mild health conditions and alleviate discomfort but would likely not have a major impact in clinical settings with current knowledge about its biochemical composition.

References

External links

Jepson Manual Treatment: ''Ephedra nevadensis''

USDA Plants Profile

''Ephedra nevadensis'' — U.C. Photo gallery
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5382148 nevadensis North American desert flora Flora of Baja California Flora of the Southwestern United States Flora of the California desert regions Flora of the Great Basin Flora of the Chihuahuan Desert Flora of the Sonoran Deserts Natural history of the Mojave Desert Plants used in Native American cuisine Plants used in traditional Native American medicine