This interesting-looking perennial evergreen bush is Mormon tea (Ephedra viridis), a member of the Ephedra Family (Ephedraceae). Instead of traditional leaves, ephedra has numerous stems pointing upwards, making it easy to distinguish. It's considered a highly palatable shrub for larger wildlife species, but is not eaten by livestock.
This is a male Ephedra, with larger cones in pairs at the stem joints.
The plant was used my Native Americans to make beverages, and ended up with the common name Mormon tea due to early settlers of European descent doing the same.
