''Ephedra cutleri'', the Navajo ephedra or Cutler's jointfir, is a species of ''
Ephedra Ephedra may refer to:
* Ephedra (medicine), a medicinal preparation from the plant ''Ephedra sinica''
* ''Ephedra'' (plant), genus of gymnosperm shrubs
See also
* Ephedrine
Ephedrine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is of ...
'' that is native to the
Southwestern United States (
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
,
New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...
,
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
,
Colorado
Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...
,
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
,
Wyoming
Wyoming () is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the southwest, and Colorado to the s ...
).
[Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families]
/ref>
Description
The rhizomatous shrubs form erect clumps, tall and wide. It grows on flat and dry sandy areas, and occasionally on rocky slopes. Anchored by the rhizomes and an advantageous root system, ''Ephedra cutleri'' leaves grow in an opposite orientation but can not sustain all growth. Because the leaves are too small to perform photosynthesis, it is conducted in the sticky stems of the plant.
Cultivation
In one study, ''E. cutleri'' was the major plant found in Northeastern Arizona where dry, loamy, fine sand surfaced layers of Sheppard series soils dominate and form coppice dunes due their strong rhizomes.
Stabilized dunes are preferred at higher elevations.
Uses
A food source for animals, there are differing views as to whether the plant has any medicinal properties for humans with the exception of brewing Mormon tea.
Taxonomy
The plant was originally described by Robert Hibbs Peebles in 1940. It was placed in section
Section, Sectioning or Sectioned may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* Section (music), a complete, but not independent, musical idea
* Section (typography), a subdivision, especially of a chapter, in books and documents
** Section sig ...
''Ephedra sect. Asarca''.
Distribution
USA (AZ, CO, NM, UT, WY)[Biota of North America Program, 2013 county distribution maps](_blank)
/ref>
Dispersal method is normally small mammals.
Wetland Indicator
Not determined
References
External links
Al Schneider - http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com .
NatureServe Explorer - http://explorer.natureserve.org/index.htm
Integrated Taxonomic Information System - https://www.itis.gov/
USDA Natural resources Conservation Service - https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=EPCU
{{-
cutleri
North American desert flora
Flora of the Southwestern United States
Plants described in 1940