Longleaf jointfir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Longleaf jointfir |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Ephedra
|
| Species: |
trifurca
|
Ephedra trifurca is a type of plant known as a jointfir. People often call it longleaf jointfir or Mexican tea.
This plant is found in the deserts of North America. It grows in parts of northwestern Mexico and the Southwestern United States.
Where It Lives
Ephedra trifurca is native to several places. In Mexico, you can find it in Baja California, Chihuahua, and Sonora.
In the United States, it grows in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. This plant loves desert areas. It lives in desert scrub plant communities. You can spot it in the Chihuahuan Desert, Sonoran Desert, and Colorado Desert.
What It Looks Like
Ephedra trifurca is a shrub that spreads out. It can grow up to 2 meters (about 6.5 feet) tall. Its branches are straight and have sharp tips.
When the twigs are young, they are light green. As they get older, they turn yellowish or greenish-gray. The plant has pointed leaves that curl. These leaves grow at the nodes, which are the places where branches or leaves join the stem. The leaves can be up to 1.5 centimeters long. They stay on the plant for a long time.
Reproduction
Ephedra trifurca plants have male and female parts on separate plants. Male plants grow pollen cones. These cones are about a centimeter long. They appear at the nodes.
Female plants produce seed cones. These cones are a little bigger than the pollen cones. Each seed cone holds one seed. The seed is covered in a thin, papery layer.
