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Ephedra coryi
(Cory's joint-fir)
[taxon report][distribution map][photos][line drawing]
Family: Ephedraceae
Scientific Name: Ephedra coryi E.L. Reed
Synonyms: None
Vernacular Name: Cory's joint-fir
R-E-D Code: 2-1-2
Description: Dioecious rhizomatous shrubs, forming erect clumps, to 1.5 m in height; bark red-brown to gray with age, cracked and irregularly fissured; branches alternate or more commonly whorled and becoming rigid; twigs bright green, becoming yellow-green with age and not viscid; terminal buds conic, 1-3 mm long; leaves opposite, small, brown, appearing as pairs of connate scales along the stems; pollen cones 2 to several at nodes, obovoid, 4-6 mm long, on very short peduncles or sessile; female cones 2 to several at nodes, on naked peduncles 7-15 mm long, orange at maturity; seeds 2, paired, ellipsoid, brown to chestnut and smooth. Cones produced in late winter and early spring.
Similar Species: In the southern counties it may be confused with Ephedra aspera late in the growing season after the seeds have fallen. The 2 seeds per cone in E. coryi versus the 1 seed per cone in E. aspera is an important distinguishing characteristic.
Distribution: New Mexico, Socorro County, Oscura Mountains; western Texas.
Habitat: On limestone, in dry sandy soils, and on dunes; below 1,520 m (5,000 ft).
Remarks: Rare and of limited known range in both New Mexico and Texas. The type collection is from Brownfield, Texas and is in the U.S. National Herbarium. The only known New Mexican population is in the Oscura Mountains. One might expect this species to occur in the southeast quarter of the state. The statement in the Flora of North America (1996) that this species occurs in the San Andres Mountains in New Mexico is apparently an error because the only documenting specimens are from the Oscura Mountains. The map location in extreme southeastern New Mexico in the same work is clearly an error as far as present distribution is known.
Conservation Considerations: The New Mexico population of Ephedra coryi does not appear to be threatened by the land uses within its habitat.
Important Literature (*Illustration):
*Carter, J.L. 1997. Trees and shrubs of New Mexico. Johnston Books, Boulder, Colorado.
Correll, D.S. and M.C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the vascular plants of Texas. Texas Research Foundation, Renner, Texas.
*Flora of North America Editorial Committee. 1996. Flora of North America, Volume 2. Oxford University Press, New York.
Martin, W.C. and C.R. Hutchins. 1980. A flora of New Mexico. J. Cramer, Hirschberg, Germany.
Powell, A.M. 1988. Trees and shrubs of Trans-Pecos Texas. Big Bend Natural History Association, Alpine, Texas.
Information Compiled By: Jack Carter, 1998
Agency Status:
