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Ephedra coryi, also known as Cory's joint-fir, is a reed-like gymnosperm native to sandy, semi-arid areas of the North American South and Southwest.

Description
The genus Ephedra is a part of the Gymnosperm group. E. Coryi is a Perennial shrub. Members of the Ephedra genus have several distinct characteristics that make them fairly easy to distinguish from other plants.

These are:


 * Thin erect shrubs with profuse reed or tube-like stems


 * Long, bright-green stems with knobby, jointed segments (stems may yellow with age)


 * Small, scale-like, simple opposite leaves located at stem joints

Plant height ranges from 1-3 ft. . The man photosynthetic bodies of E. Coryi are the stems, as is typical of the genus. The stems are thin and green with thicker, hardened bases covered in dark brown bark. Internodes are 1-5 mm in length. As a gymnosperm, E. coryi produces cones. The female cones are about 4-6 mm long and typically appear orange or yellow when mature. The cones grow on bare peduncles 7-15 mm in length and produce two smooth brown oval-shaped seeds. Cone maturation occurs from March to April. The plant forms conic terminal buds 1-3 mm in length. Mature female cones are sometimes mistaken for flowers at a distance, as they appear in groups of several cones at stem joints.

Distribution
Ephedra coryi is found in the southern continental United States. Native populations can be found growing in the county of Socorro, New Mexico, and several counties in Texas including; Andrews, Dawson, Ector, Gaines, Howard, Loving, Lubbock, Midland, Terry, Ward, and Winkler. Ephedra coryi has also been known to make its home in the western plains and shrublands of Texas. This species is well-suited to arid environments and is capable of surviving in rocky, thin-soil areas including mesas.

Ecology
This species is a Rhizomatous shrub. It often grows alongside native grasses as well as in "shinneries" (dense thickets) of Scrub oak. The rhizome association that this plant forms with bacteria is what allows it to survive in nutrient scarce soils, such as sandy soils, rocky cliffs, dunes, and semi-arid grassland praries. E. coryi is lithophytic, meaning it is able to grow directly on rock. Because of this, the plant is frequently found on mesas and other rocky outcroppings within its range.

Conservation Status
Cory's joint-fir is considered a rare plant due to its restricted geographic range. The IUCN Red List classifies this species as one of Least-concern because there are currently no threats facing the known populations. Their population trend is classified as stable. While this plant is rare, it is not considered endangered by the terms of the IUCN Red List. NatureServe, a non-profit organization that assesses the conservation status of plants (amongst other things), lists Ephedra coryi's conservation status as G3N3, meaning it is vulnerable globally and nationally. It is listed as S3 in Texas, meaning it is considered vulnerable in that state as well. New Mexico has not listed the same vulnerable conservation status. Additionally, in a 2011 meeting, the New Mexico Rare Plant Technical Council (NMRPTC) determined that Cory's joint-fir did not meet their organization's standards for "rare" classification. For ex situ (off-site) conservation methods to be employed, a seed collection would need to be conducted. IUCN has noted that no known seed collections have been made in recent years, making it unlikely that such methods will be utilized in the near future.

Uses
The Ephedra genus, particularly E. sinica, was used in ancient China to treat respiratory illnesses. E. coryi is not native to Asia and, due to its relative rarity, is not known as a medicinal plant. Currently, the compound Ephedrine (originally sourced from Ephedra plants) is synthetically produced to treat asthma as well as other respiratory maladies including allergies and congestion. Ephedrine is a mild stimulant that can cause potentially dangerous symptoms (i.e. palpitations), and the sale of products containing this compound has been strictly regulated by the FDA. Ephedra species, likely including E. coryi, located in the south-western U.S. were traditionally brewed by both Native Americans and early settlers into "Mormon Tea", which was thought to improve kidney function. The medicinal properties of these plants, again including E. coryi, have not been confirmed. Small doses of Ephedra (and the Ephedrine the plants contain) have historically been shown to be relatively harmless.