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Species Review

Ephedra nevadensis, Nevada jointfir

Written
November, 2004
Contributors
Michelle Anderson - 1st Author

Anderson, Michelle D. 2004. Ephedra nevadensis, Nevada jointfir. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://research.fs.usda.gov/feis/species-reviews/ephnev

DOI
10.2737/feis-species-review-ephnev

AbbreviationCommon NameScientific NameClassificationStatus
Plants
EPHNEVNevada jointfirEphedra nevadensisLife Form: Plants/Shrub
Kingdom: Plantae
Class: Jointfir
Order: Ephedrales
Family: Ephedraceae
Genus: Ephedra		Fed. Protected: No
Nativity: Native
Invasiveness: Noninvasive

A photo of a many-branched shrub with green uprights stems growing on the edge of a dramatic, dry canyon.
A photo of large shrubs, some with visible woody bases, growing with bare ground and large rocks between them. In the foreground, a Nevada jointfir individual has a woody base and some dead stems, but retains green stems on about half of the plant.
A map of the western United States with counties in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah highlighted green.
A close-up photo of a stem of Nevada jointfir, with small yellow cones emerging from a joint.

A photo of a many-branched shrub with green uprights stems growing on the edge of a dramatic, dry canyon.
Photo Credit
Photo courtesy Dennis Woodland, Andrews University.

Nevada jointfir on the rim of the Grand Canyon.

Taxonomy

The scientific name of Nevada jointfir is Ephedra nevadensis S. Wats. (Ephedraceae) [20,27,31,32,33,77].

Synonyms

  • None

Other Common Names

gray ephedra, Nevada ephedra, Mormon-tea, Mormon tea

General Distribution

Nevada jointfir occurs in the West, from southeastern Oregon south to Baja California Norte, Mexico, and east to eastern Utah and Arizona [27,31,32,48,50].

A map of the western United States with counties in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah highlighted green.
Photo Credit
Map courtesy of USDA, NRCS. 2018. The PLANTS Database. National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC [2018, July 6] [74].

Distribution of Nevada jointfir in the United States.

States and Provinces

  • United States: AZ CA NV OR UT
  • Mexico: BCN

Site Characteristics

Nevada jointfir grows at elevations ranging from 2,000 to 7,000 feet (610-2,150 m) elevation [59,77], most commonly on dry slopes and hills below 4,430 feet (1,350 m) [9]. The following table lists elevation ranges for some areas within Nevada jointfir's range:

LocationElevation
Baja California3,900-4,200 feet (1,190-1,280 m) [48]
Great Basin2,790-7,050 feet (850-2,150 m) [77]
California<3,600 feet (1,100 m) [27]
Nevada2,500-6,000 feet (760-1,830 m) [12,32]
Utah4,000-6,000 feet (1,220-1,830 m) [18]

Nevada jointfir is commonly found on ridgetops as well as upper and lower slope positions. It also grows well in floodplain areas. Nevada jointfir is associated with shallow, rocky soils (to 2 feet (0.6 m) deep) [13], often limestone-derived [26]. Nevada jointfir has a high saline tolerance [59] and is common on the margins of salt deserts [9]. However, it has no tolerance for acidity [59]. Nevada jointfir is drought tolerant [28] and requires approximately 7 inches (178 mm) annual precipitation [59].

Plant Communities

Nevada jointfir grows abundantly at the edge of the salt desert zone [9], but is also common in a variety of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.), desert shrub, and pinyon-juniper (Pinus-Juniperus spp.) communities [13,47,66]. It generally grows as scattered plants or in small clumps but also occurs in isolated, large, pure stands [66].

A photo of large shrubs, some with visible woody bases, growing with bare ground and large rocks between them. In the foreground, a Nevada jointfir individual has a woody base and some dead stems, but retains green stems on about half of the plant.
Photo Credit
Photo by Jim Boone, iNaturalist.org, some rights reserved.

Nevada jointfir growing with other desert shrubs in Lincoln County, Nevada (CC BY-NC 4.0).

In California, common associates of Nevada jointfir in singleleaf pinyon-California juniper/western juniper (Pinus monophylla-Juniperus californica/J. occidentalis) woodland include California sagebrush (Artemisia californica), rubber rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus), antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata), green ephedra (E. viridis), desert almond (Prunus fasciculata), peach thorn (Lycium cooperi), Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia), and Mojave yucca (Y. schidigera) [47]. In desert chaparral communities, Nevada jointfir commonly occurs with chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum), red shank (A. sparsifolium), jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis), California juniper, and Mojave yucca [48]. Other common associates are mountain-mahogany (Cercocarpus spp.), saltbush (Atriplex spp.), creosotebush (Larrea tridentata), and prickly-pear (Opuntia spp.) [13,66].

In Nevada, Nevada jointfir may codominate with Colorado pinyon (Pinus edulis) [79], spiny hopsage (Grayia spinosa), spiny menodora (Menodora spinescens), winterfat (Krascheninnikovia lanata), or eastern Mojave buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum) [26,52]. In Utah, it may codominate with winterfat, Indian ricegrass (Achnatherum hymenoides), blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), or galleta (Pleuraphis jamesii) [36]. Nevada jointfir is particularly common as a community dominant in the transition zone between the Mojave and Great Basin deserts [26].

West and others [79] classify Nevada jointfir as a plant community dominant in Nevada.

A close-up photo of a stem of Nevada jointfir, with small yellow cones emerging from a joint.
Photo Credit
Photo ©2004, James M. Andre.

Cone-bearing stem.

Botanical Description

The following description of Nevada jointfir provides characteristics that may be relevant to fire ecology, and is not meant for identification. Keys for identification are available (e.g. [32,33,77]).

Nevada jointfir is a native erect, spreading shrub that reaches 1 to 4 feet (0.3-1.2 m) tall [9,50,59,77]. It is essentially aphyllous with jointed [1,9,9,50,50,77], evergreen stems [83]. The thick, woody roots can grow to 6.5 feet (2 m) deep [41,83], and may spread laterally and produce clones [41].

Ephedra spp. are gymnosperms. Stamens bear 1 to 8 pollen sacs, and 1 to 2 ovules are exposed at the tips of small, scaly cones. After pollination, these ovules develop directly into seed [50]. The male cones are 0.16 to 0.3 inch (4-8 mm) long, while female cones are 0.2 to 0.4 inch (5-11 mm) long. Seeds are 0.16 to 0.35 inch (4-9 mm) long [77] and occur singly or in pairs [16,73].

A study of replicated photographs in Arizona estimates that Ephedra spp. can survive over 100 years (80-95% of 3 different populations survived from the late 1800s to 1994) [11]; however, the study did not specifically document the longevity of Nevada jointfir.

Raunkiaer Life Form

  • Phanerophyte [60]

Seasonal Development

In a southern Nevada study, Nevada jointfir seeds germinated between October and March [2]. Seedlings emerge February through June [28].

Nevada jointfir leafs out in early to late spring and in September after summer rains [1,3]. It forms buds in early spring, and cones open from March through May [1,3,9,41,72], though lack of available soil moisture may inhibit cone production [3]. Seed matures in early summer [1,3,9,72]. Nevada jointfir is physiologically inactive during hot summer months [1,3].

Regeneration Processes

Nevada jointfir regenerates vegetatively [41] and by seed [77].

Breeding System

Nevada jointfir is primarily dioecious with small cones [17,66].

Pollination

Ephedra pollen is wind-distributed [50].

Seed Production

Nevada jointfir produces large quantities of small seeds at erratic intervals [16,58,76].

Seed Dispersal

Seeds are dispersed by small mammals and deposited in shallowly buried caches [45].

Seed Banking

No information is available on this topic.

Germination

Germination requires 21 days prechill at 37 to 41 °F (3-5 °C), with germination most successful at 68 °F (20 °C). Average germination under these conditions ranges from 80%-100%. Other effective germination temperatures are 41, 50, 59 °F (5, 10, 15 °C) constant and 68/77 °F (20/25 °C) alternating [9,87].

After 15 years of warehouse storage, germination rates of Nevada jointfir seeds did not decrease appreciably; rates remained above 85% [68]. Nevada jointfir germination rates were >85% during the1st 10 years of storage in an open, unheated, uncooled warehouse, with rates only decreasing to 77% after 25 years of storage [67]. In another study, however, seed storage for 12 months at room temperature substantially reduced germination (from 65%-75% to 15%-20%) [87].

Seedling Establishment and Growth

No information is available on this topic.

Vegetative Regeneration

Manning and Groeneveld [41] describe a Nevada jointfir community in California in which clones are produced from lateral roots. Others describe crown sprouting of Nevada jointfir in response to herbicides [29].

Successional Status

Nevada jointfir occurs in recently disturbed (6-12 years post-disturbance) and undisturbed desert communities [22,53].

Immediate Fire Effects

Nevada jointfir is top-killed by fire [43,78]. Underground regenerative structures commonly survive when aboveground vegetation is consumed by fire [78]. When subject to severe fire, however, Nevada jointfir may be killed [66,82].

Following a June wildfire, unburned transects in an Arizona study had approximately 40 Nevada jointfir plants per hectare, while adjacent burned transects had 0 plants at postfire year 1 and only 5 plants/ha at postfire year 2. Total Nevada jointfir mortality was 76%; 84% of plants were top-killed with 9% sprouting after fire [43].

Postfire Regeneration Strategy

  • Small shrub, adventitious bud/root crown
  • Initial off-site colonizer (off-site, initial community)
  • Secondary colonizer (on-site or off-site seed sources) [70]

Fire Adaptations

Nevada jointfir generally sprouts after fire damages aboveground vegetation [76,78,84]. However, severe fires may kill shallowly buried regenerative structures [43,82].

Plant Response to Fire

Nevada jointfir may increase after fire due to sprouting [6,78]. Following a wildfire in California (30 years), Nevada jointfir increased from 5% to 11% of plant cover [6]. To date (2004), no information is available on methods of postfire seed dispersal and seedling establishment for Nevada jointfir. More research on postfire regeneration strategies is needed.

Fire Regimes

Most plant communities in which Nevada jointfir commonly occurs historically experienced stand-replacement fire regimes. Sagebrush types historically had fire intervals from 20 to 70 years, while other desert shrub types and desert grassland communities had fire intervals of <35 to <100 years [54]. Fires may not carry on some Nevada jointfir sites due to insufficient fuels. Periods of above normal precipitation can contribute to increased stand flammability by promoting the growth of annuals [43]. Pinyon-juniper communities are subject to a mixed-severity fire regime, with fire intervals <35 years or 400+ years [21,24,35,54]. On less productive sites with discontinuous grass cover, fires are less frequent and small. On sites where grass cover is more continuous, fires are likely more frequent and extensive. Stage of stand development also contributes to fire susceptibility and severity. Young open stands may have sufficient understory fuel to carry fire, but as stands mature this cover becomes sparse. The trees may remain too widely spaced to carry crown fire, except under extreme conditions [54].

Some sagebrush and desert shrub ecosystems are experiencing changes in fire regime, particularly in response to invasion by annual grasses such as red brome (Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens) and cheatgrass (B. tectorum). Cheatgrass expansion has dramatically changed fire regimes and plant communities over vast areas of western rangelands by creating an environment where fires are easily ignited, spread rapidly, cover large areas, and occur frequently [85]. Cheatgrass promotes frequent fires by increasing the biomass and horizontal continuity of fine fuels that persist during the summer lightning season and by allowing fire to spread across landscapes where fire was previously restricted to isolated patches [37,69,85].

Fire return intervals for plant communities and ecosystems in which Nevada jointfir occurs are summarized below. For additional fire regime information, search FEIS for this species by entering the species name on the Advanced Search page and selecting “Fire Regime” as the publication type.

Community or EcosystemDominant SpeciesFire Return Interval Range (years)
California chaparralAdenostoma and/or Arctostaphylos spp.<35 to <100 [54]
basin big sagebrushArtemisia tridentata var. tridentata12-43 [62]
mountain big sagebrushArtemisia tridentata var. vaseyana15-40 [4,14,46]
Wyoming big sagebrushArtemisia tridentata var. wyomingensis10-70 (40**) [75,86]
coastal sagebrushArtemisia californica<35 to <100
saltbush-greasewoodAtriplex confertifolia-Sarcobatus vermiculatus<35 to <100
desert grasslandsBouteloua eriopoda and/or Pleuraphis mutica5-100
grama-galleta steppeBouteloua gracilis-Pleuraphis jamesii<35 to <100 [54]
cheatgrassBromus tectorum<10 [56,80]
curlleaf mountain-mahogany*Cercocarpus ledifolius13-1,000 [5,63]
mountain-mahogany-Gambel oak scrubCercocarpus ledifolius-Quercus gambelii<35 to <100
blackbrushColeogyne ramosissima<35 to <100
western juniperJuniperus occidentalis20-70
Rocky Mountain juniperJuniperus scopulorum<35
creosotebushLarrea tridentata<35 to <100
pinyon-juniperPinus-Juniperus spp.<35 [54]
Mexican pinyonPinus cembroides20-70 [49,71]
Colorado pinyonPinus edulis10-400+ [21,24,35,54]
galleta-threeawn shrubsteppePleuraphis jamesii-Aristida purpurea<35 to <100 [54]
mesquiteProsopis glandulosa<35 to <100 [44,54]
*fire return interval varies widely; trends in variation are noted in the species review
**mean

Fire Management Considerations

No information is available on this topic.

Federal Status

None

Other Status

None

Importance to Wildlife and Livestock

Mule deer [39], bighorn sheep [12], and pronghorn browse Nevada jointfir, especially in spring and late summer when new growth is available [7]. It is browsed by domestic livestock also [25,57,81]. Nevada jointfir is important winter range browse for domestic cattle, sheep, goats, and mule deer, with up to 50% of stems utilized in some localities [17,61,73]. Its value as winter forage is due to the large number of twigs produced and the relative abundance of this species on winter range [17]. Nevada jointfir is browsed to a lesser extent in the other seasons [17,61,73].

Nevada jointfir seeds provide food for small mammals and birds [45].

Palatability and Nutritional Value

Nevada jointfir has been rated as fair forage for domestic sheep, cattle, goats and horses; it also provides fair forage for pronghorn, mule deer, small nongame birds, and upland game birds [18,30,61]. It has been rated poor forage for elk and waterfowl, but good for small mammals [18]. Tests of Nevada jointfir in pregnant domestic sheep showed no maternal or embryo/fetal toxicity [34].

Specific nutrient content varies according to plant part, phenological development, and site characteristics. Nutrient composition for Nevada jointfir sampled in Nevada is as follows [76].

ElementDate sampled
February 1117 March4 April21 May19 June29 July24 September31 December
Dry weight (%)
P0.060.090.120.080.080.050.040.07
Na0.0030.0070.0120.0070.0060.0080.0070.009
K0.250.310.861.802.261.450.910.61
Ca2.432.212.651.021.411.722.372.37
Mg0.180.300.340.170.200.180.210.19
Si0.040.070.120.050.040.050.100.11
Ppm
Zn2319172021242227
Cu141052014121914
Fe101142143186161248240121
Mn771361491317263847
B141222181291016
Al82134167145149184188152
Sr8297675066919652
Be4524301112131833

The National Academy of Sciences lists the following values for Nevada jointfir samples (% dry matter): calcium 5.81%, magnesium 1.28%, and phosphorus 0.50% [51].

Cover Value

Nevada jointfir provides good cover for small mammals; fair cover for pronghorn, small nongame birds, and upland game birds; and poor cover for game animals and waterfowl [18].

Value for Rehabilitation of Disturbed Sites

Nevada jointfir is useful for erosion control [59], and seedlings have been successfully planted onto reclaimed strip mines, with survival ranging from 12 to 94% [40,64]. Nevada jointfir seeds are commercially available [42,59]. For enhanced seed germination, a 24 hour soak at 86 °F (30 °C) is recommended prior to prechill [9]. For additional information on germination of Nevada jointfir, see Botanical and Ecological Characteristics.

Nevada jointfir is easily propagated in the nursery or greenhouse, but root and shoot systems of the seedlings are fragile and easily damaged during transplanting [64]. A study of transplanted Nevada jointfir found heavy mortality, with only 10% of plants surviving after 6 years and none surviving to 12 years [55]. Other efforts have resulted in successful transplanting of container stock, with 67% survival after 5 years on irrigated plots and 100% survival on nonirrigated plots [15]. Seedlings are drought tolerant and generally establish well after fall or winter plantings [58].

Other Uses

Native Americans used Nevada jointfir as a tea to treat stomach and kidney ailments [8,17].

Other Management Considerations

Atrazine may be effective in controlling Nevada jointfir, though some plants can survive through crown sprouting. Irrigation may increase control by atrazine [29].

Table A1— Forest and range ecosystems, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) physiographic regions, Kuchler plant associations, Society for American Foresters (SAF) forest cover types, and Society for Rangeland Management (SRM) rangeland cover types in which this species occurs.

Forest and Range Ecosystems (Garrison et al. 1977)

  • FRES29 Sagebrush
  • FRES30 Desert shrub
  • FRES33 Southwestern shrubsteppe
  • FRES34 Chaparral-mountain shrub
  • FRES35 Pinyon-juniper
  • FRES40 Desert grasslands

BLM Physiographic Regions (Bernard and Brown 1977)

  • 4 Sierra Mountains
  • 5 Columbia Plateau
  • 6 Upper Basin and Range
  • 7 Lower Basin and Range
  • 11 Southern Rocky Mountains
  • 12 Colorado Plateau

Kuchler Plant Associations (Kuchler 1964)

  • K023 Juniper-pinyon woodland
  • K033 Chaparral
  • K038 Great Basin sagebrush
  • K039 Blackbrush
  • K040 Saltbush-greasewood
  • K041 Creosote bush
  • K042 Creosote bush-bur sage
  • K043 Paloverde-cactus shrub
  • K044 Creosote bush-tarbush
  • K053 Grama-galleta steppe
  • K057 Galleta-threeawn shrubsteppe

SAF Cover Types (Eyre 1980)

  • 220 Rocky Mountain juniper
  • 238 Western juniper
  • 239 Pinyon-juniper
  • 242 Mesquite

SRM Rangeland Cover Types (Shiflet 1994)

  • 105 Antelope bitterbrush-Idaho fescue
  • 107 Western juniper/big sagebrush/bluebunch wheatgrass
  • 206 Chamise chaparral
  • 210 Bitterbrush
  • 211 Creosote bush scrub
  • 212 Blackbush
  • 401 Basin big sagebrush
  • 402 Mountain big sagebrush
  • 403 Wyoming big sagebrush
  • 405 Black sagebrush
  • 406 Low sagebrush
  • 408 Other sagebrush types
  • 412 Juniper-pinyon woodland
  • 414 Salt desert shrub
  • 415 Curlleaf mountain-mahogany
  • 416 True mountain-mahogany
  • 417 Littleleaf mountain-mahogany
  • 501 Saltbush-greasewood
  • 502 Grama-galleta
  • 503 Arizona chaparral
  • 504 Juniper-pinyon pine woodland
  • 505 Grama-tobosa shrub
  • 506 Creosotebush-bursage
  • 507 Palo verde-cactus
  • 508 Creosotebush-tarbush

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