Ephedra funerea

Death Valley jointfir
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Vulnerable  (NatureServe) [2]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Gymnospermae
Division:	Gnetophyta
Class:	Gnetopsida
Order:	Ephedrales
Family:	Ephedraceae
Genus:	Ephedra
Species:	E. funerea
Binomial name
Ephedra funerea Coville & C. V. Morton

Ephedra funerea is a species of Ephedra , known by the common name Death Valley jointfir, Death Valley ephedra, or Mormon Tea.

It is native to the Mojave Desert of California, Arizona and Nevada. It is named after a population in the Funeral Mountains, in Death Valley National Park. ^{[3] [4]}

Native Americans and Mormon pioneers drank a tea brewed from this plant called Mormon Tea or Indian Tea.

Description

The Ephedra funerea shrub is made up of erect twigs which are gray-green when new and age to gray and cracked. There are tiny leaves at nodes along the twigs. Male plants produce pollen cones at the nodes which are up to 8 millimeters long, and female plants produce seed cones which are slightly longer and may grow on stalks. ^{[5] [6]}

References

1. Bell, A.; Bachman, S. (2025) [amended version of 2011 assessment]. "Ephedra funerea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2025: e.T201686A269898027. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS.T201686A269898027.en . Retrieved 5 August 2025.
2. "Ephedra funerea". NatureServe Explorer 2.0.
3. "Ephedra funerea Coville & C.V.Morton". Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families.
4. "Biota of North America Program, 2013 county distribution map".
5. "Ephedra funerea". Jepson Manual Treatment.
6. "Ephedra funerea Coville & C. V. Morton, J. Wash. Acad. Sci. 25: 307. 1935". Flora of North America.

External links

• USDA Plants Profile
• Ephedra funerea — U.C. Photo gallery