Kingdom Plantae Order Ephedrales Genus Ephedra Higher classification Ephedra | Division Gnetophyta Family Ephedraceae Scientific name Ephedra californica Rank Species | |
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Similar Ephedra, Ephedra aspera, Ephedra funerea, Ephedra torreyana, Ephedra fasciculata | ||
Ephedra californica is a species of Ephedra, known by the common names California jointfir, California ephedra, desert tea, and cañatillo.
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Distribution
The plant is native to many diverse areas of central and southern California, Baja California, and west Arizona. It grows in varied scrub and open habitats, including chaparral, arid grassland, and Creosote scrub. It is found at elevations from 150–3,400 feet (46–1,036 m).
Regions and landforms of distribution include:
Habitats include:
Description
Ephedra californica is a spindly shrub made up of twigs which are greenish when new and age to a yellowish-gray color and have fine longitudinal grooves on their surfaces. The bark becomes gray-brown, and irregularly fissured and cracked. It grows .25–1 metre (0.82–3.28 ft) in height, with similar spread.
The tiny leaves grow at nodes on the twigs and dry in drought, to crumble away to leave brownish ridges there. Male plants produce clumps of pollen cones at the nodes and female plants produce egg-shaped seed cones each about 1 centimetre (0.39 in) long, May to June.
Native American uses
Ephedra californica was used by the indigenous peoples of California as a medicinal plant, culinary ingredient, and for making tools. Tribal people using it included the Kumeyaay—Diegueño and Kawaiisu of present-day Southern California.