Mormon-tea
Guides
Lasioptera ephedrae
Mormon Tea Stem Gall Midge
Lasioptera ephedrae is a species of gall midge in the family Cecidomyiidae. It is known for inducing stem galls on Ephedra trifurca, a desert shrub commonly called Mormon tea. The species was described by Cockerell in 1898 and is found in arid regions of the southwestern United States and adjacent Mexico. Like other gall midges, it has a complex life cycle involving intimate association with its host plant.