Rough jointfir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rough jointfir |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Ephedra
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| Species: |
aspera
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Ephedra aspera is a type of plant often called rough jointfir. People also know it as boundary ephedra or pitamoreal. This plant grows naturally in the southwestern United States. You can find it from California all the way to Texas. It also lives in parts of northern Mexico, as far south as Zacatecas. Ephedra aspera likes to grow in different kinds of forests and bushy areas.
What Ephedra aspera Looks Like
Ephedra aspera is a bushy plant that can grow quite tall. It often reaches over 1 meter (about 3 feet) in height. This plant has many long, yellow-gold branches.
Its leaves are very small, only a few millimeters long. The bark on older parts of the plant is gray and has cracks. The branches grow in pairs or in circles around the stem.
Male and Female Plants
Ephedra aspera has separate male and female plants.
- Male plants grow small cones that hold pollen. These pollen cones are about 4 to 7 millimeters long.
- Female plants might look a bit darker or reddish. They grow seed cones, which are a little bigger than the pollen cones. Each female cone usually holds just one seed.
Plant Details
The main stems of these shrubs are usually between 0.5 and 1.5 meters long. The younger branches are pale to dark green. They turn yellow as they get older. These twigs have many lines running along them.
The leaves are usually in pairs, but sometimes in groups of three. They are very short, only 1 to 3 millimeters long. The bases of the leaves are thick and brown. They tend to break apart as the plant ages.
The seeds are oval-shaped. They are usually light brown to brown in color. Each seed is about 5 to 8 millimeters long.
See also
In Spanish: Ephedra aspera para niños
