Here on the grounds at COC we have a few really hearty specimens of Mormon tea (Ephedra torreyana) that, before grooming, provided a really swell home for a couple of packrats. These plants flower in early spring, then shed their leaves in an attempt to completely litter the desert floor. They do an excellent job of it.
Since the green stems of the plant contain ephedra (similar to the chemical that was used previously in Sudafed) stuffy-nosed desert denizens (of the humanoid kind) can chew on the stems and ingest the drug. One note of caution: the taste is horrible, making one wonder how the early pioneers ever ingested the medicinal tea they brewed from its stems.
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