Ephedraceae

Joint-fir Family

Ephedra

FAMILY: Joint-fir family (Ephedraceae) – Ephedra genus.

SPECIES: #1 southwestern ephedra, boundary ephedra, or rough jointfir (Ephedra aspera Engelm. ex S. Watson = Ephedra fasciculata A. Nelson). #2 California ephedra or jointfir (Ephedra californica S. Watson). #3 Nevada ephedra or jointfir (Ephedra nevadensis S. Watson). #4 Torrey’s ephedra or jointfir (Ephedra torreyana S. Watson). #5 Mexican tea or longleaf jointfir (Ephedra trifurca Torr. ex S. Watson). #6 green ephedra or Mormon tea (Ephedra viridis Coville).

TO UTILIZE AS FOOD: Stems of all species listed above can be brewed into tea. Note that this tea should only be consumed in moderation due to the potentially adverse effects of long-term use on the nervous system. Seeds of all these species, except for southwestern ephedra (E. aspera), are also reported to be edible. Ephedra seeds are small, brown, nut-like, and contained within cone-like structures. Several species grow across the Southwest and throughout the Great Basin, often dominating the arid landscape.

Mormon tea (E. viridis) twigs make an interesting tea. The flavor is complex, combining a bit of sweetness with elements of evergreen trees and a hint of string beans. The aroma is delicately pine-like. Young twigs make the best tea. Old twigs are rather bland. A thin layer of oil may be present on the surface. Mormon tea is invigorating, but it lacks the adrenaline rush of species containing ephedrine alkaloids. Tea made from fresh twigs is desert brown. Roasting the twigs prior to steeping adds a robust quality to the flavor and aroma. It also darkens the tea. Since fresh twigs contain moisture, they should be stored in a cool place and used within a few days. Long-term storage requires freezing or dehydration. Scissors greatly assist the gathering process. Avoid gathering inflated twigs. The inflations are due to infestations. Medicinally, Mormon tea is reported to relieve symptoms of hay fever, clear the lungs of congestion, and function as a diuretic. Overall, Mormon tea is a fine beverage.

Mexican tea (E. trifurca) twigs can be brewed into tea. The tea has a distinctive lemon-like flavor, rather than a pine-like flavor typical of other species. The pine-like accent is barely noticeable in Mexican tea. A trace of bitterness provides a gentle balance to the fruity essence. Additional flavors unique to ephedras also characterize the experience, along with suggestions of vegetables of an unknown origin. Boiling dilutes the bitterness and highlights the subtle sweetness. Mexican tea is a fine beverage. Twigs can also be chewed for flavor, but bitterness becomes more noticeable.

Ephedra nuts: This assessment is based primarily on southwestern ephedra (E. aspera), the one species listed above with nuts that could not be verified as edible. Nuts of this species taste awful. Nuts of other species probably taste similar, but they could taste better. Dry roasting appears to be the most effective method of preparation. Southwestern ephedra nuts have smooth, hard, brittle shells that need to be removed or ground into powder. The shells are similar to those of pinyon pine nuts, but not as strong. When eaten raw, the nuts taste terribly acrid and unlike anything available in grocery stores. Pinyon pine nuts provide the closest comparison, yet taste significantly different. Ephedra nuts have their own character. Dry roasting greatly reduces the acrid bite, but this reduction may not be sufficient. Eating small amounts of dry-roasted ephedra nuts shouldn’t burn your throat, but meal-size amounts could be a problem. The texture is soft, almost buttery. The aroma is nutty, fresh like evergreen trees, and suggestive of a hearty meal. Southwestern ephedra is good about producing nuts. Relatively few nuts are empty shells. Nuts readily fall off the shrubs, so timing the harvest is important. Sharp stem tips hinder the chore of gathering. Placing a tarp below the shrubs and using a stick to knock off the nuts is an effective way to gather this resource. Papery chaff surrounding the nuts readily detaches in southwestern ephedra. It can be a real nuisance in other species. Not all species produce nuts that are worth gathering. Ephedra nuts may be unhealthful, so caution is strongly advised.

NOTES: In addition to the parts described above, I also tried the immature nuts of Mormon tea (E. viridis) from a colony in southeastern Utah. These nuts tasted extremely acrid. Even just one nut was enough to burn my throat, and I’m no stranger to hot foods. Mature nuts could taste milder, but I suspect they taste awful. Ephedra nuts are often mentioned, but rarely discussed, in books about wild foods. The brief mentions tend to indicate that the nuts are unpleasant.

IDENTIFICATION: The Ephedra genus is represented by about 15 species in the United States, most of which are found in the Southwest. Ephedras are gymnosperms (plants producing seeds not enclosed by ovaries) enduring as relics of a distant age. Most seed-producing plants are angiosperms (plants producing seeds enclosed by ovaries that develop into fruits). Ovaries are the lower part of pistils. Ovules are smaller structures inside the ovaries that develop into seeds. In ephedras, as well as pine trees and juniper trees, ovules are borne in cone-like structures. These technical distinctions are difficult to observe, but ephedras have a unique appearance that allows for easy identification.

Description of ephedras (the Ephedra genus): FORM green “twiggy” shrubs (or rarely vines) of arid habitats averaging about 3-17 dm tall; STEMS greenish, jointed, photosynthetic, grooved, often powdery, rarely sticky, and with conspicuous nodes every 1-10 cm; occasionally swollen at the nodes; LEAVES simple; opposite or whorled; 2-3 per node; blades scale-like; bases fused into sheaths; FLOWERS rudimentary, unisexual, and borne in cone-like structures arranged in whorls at the stem nodes; male and female flowers on separate shrubs (dioecious); MALE flowers with 2-8 stamens; filaments usually united; FEMALE flowers with 1-4 ovules (that later become the seeds) protected by 2 coverings (integuments that later become the seed coats) surrounded by whorls of membranous bracts; ovaries, styles, and stigmas absent (but the integuments forming pollen tubes that resemble these parts); FRUITS strobiles cone-like; SEEDS 1-4, usually angled, and usually brown; surfaces rough or smooth; HABITAT deserts, shrublands, and other arid regions throughout the Southwest; blooming March to July.

REFERENCES: #1 southwestern ephedra (Ephedra aspera = E. fasciculata): twigs (tea) Moerman (p. 107). #2 California ephedra (Ephedra californica): twigs (tea) Ebeling (p. 807) and Zigmond (p. 27); seeds Ebeling (p. 807), Hodgson (pp. 11-12), and Zigmond (p. 27). #3 Nevada ephedra (Ephedra nevadensis): twigs (tea) Couplan (p. 37) and Ebeling (p. 141); seeds Balls (pp. 39-41), Ebeling (p. 353), Yanovski (p. 6), and others. #4 Torrey’s ephedra (Ephedra torreyana): twigs (tea) Ebeling (p. 807); seeds Ebeling (p. 807). #5 Mexican tea (Ephedra trifurca): twigs (tea) Couplan (p. 37) and Ebeling (p. 807); seeds Couplan (p. 37) and Ebeling (p. 590). #6 Mormon Tea (Ephedra viridis): twigs (tea) Ebeling (p. 141); seeds Ebeling (p. 141).