Ephedra nevadensis

You can spot Nevada jointfir (Ephedra nevadensis) along the desert flats while green Mormon tea (Ephedra viridis) can be found in Red Rock’s canyons and higher elevations. Both plants have spreading branches that resemble green straws and have very tiny scale leaves. Nevada jointfir tends to be a gray-green while green Mormon tea has more of a bright yellow-green color. Teas were brewed from the stems of these plants to relieve stomach, kidney, back, and cold pains and to treat venereal disease. Nevada ephedra is wind-pollinated, 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 rodents. is an evergreen Shrub growing to 1.2 m (4ft). It is in leaf all year, in flower from April to June. The species is dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required)