Flowers: Blooms in the spring. Plants are male or female. Males have Pollen cones that grow from nodes; oval to 7-mm long. Female plants have seed cones that grow from nodes in pairs; oval to 10-mm diameter, set on short stalks.
Seeds: 2 by 8 mm, brown, smooth.
Habitat: Dry, well-drained sandy, gravelly, and rocky soils on upper bajadas and moderate slopes in the lower mountains; rocky areas.
Elevation: Typically 3,000 to 7,500 feet (to 10,000 feet).
Distribution: Oregon to Wyoming and southward across the southwestern deserts.
Comments: Tea can be made by steeping the twigs in boiling water. The stems of most members of this genus contain ephedrine, which is useful in the treatment of breathing problems. |