Ephedra pedunculata
Clap-weed (Stevenson 1993).
"Shrubs vinelike, trailing or clambering, 6-7 m. Bark gray, slightly cracked and fissured. Branches alternate (rarely whorled), lax, angle of divergence about 55°. Twigs gray-green, becoming green, then yellow-green with age, glaucous, with several moderately deep longitudinal grooves; internodes 1-8 cm. Terminal buds attenuate, 1-3 mm. Leaves opposite, 1-3 mm, connate to 2/3-7/8 their length; bases splitting at margins, persistent; apex obtuse. Pollen cones 1-2 at node, lanceoloid, 4-8 mm, sessile or on short to long, smooth peduncles; bracts opposite, 6-12 pairs, light yellow to reddish, obovate, 2-4 × 2-3 mm, membranous, free or slightly connate at base; bracteoles barely exceeding bracts; sporangiophores 3-5 mm, exserted to 1/2 their length, with 4-6 long-stalked (1-2 mm) microsporangia. Seed cones 1-2 at node, ovoid, 6-10 mm, on short to long, smooth peduncles; bracts opposite, 3-6 pairs, 3-4 × 2-3 mm, ovate, connate to 1/8-7/8 their length, inner pairs becoming succulent and red when ripe. Seeds 2, ellipsoid, 4-10 × 2-4 mm, brown, smooth. ... Coning midwinter-early spring" (Stevenson 1993). Note that this is the only North American Ephedra with a lax, vinelike growth habit.
Stevenson (1993) provides this Key to the North American species of Ephedra.
US: Texas & N Mexico; at 100-1000 m on dry, sandy to rocky areas and slopes (Stevenson 1993).
"[O]f conservation concern" (Stevenson 1993).
No data as of 2023.03.03.
See the observations on iNaturalist, accessed 2021.12.30.
The epithet refers to the fleshy, red, edible pedunculate fruit (Watson 1883).
Watson, Sereno. 1883. Contributions to American botany. Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 18:96-196 (p. 157).
Species profile at Plants of the World Online, accessed 2021.12.30.
Last Modified 2023-03-03
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