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Why is Ephedra sometimes called joint fir?
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Gnetophyte
Welwitschia, or tumboa (Welwitschia mirabilis), in Namibia.
The name "joint fir" for plants in the genus Ephedra is derived from their distinct, leafless, and jointed stems.1
While these plants are gymnosperms rather than true firs, the name reflects the appearance of their green branchlets, which feature nodes where small, scalelike leaves are attached. This unique structure is a key characteristic of the genus, which belongs to the division Gnetophyta.123