The story
One of a number of common names based on types of people known to live in the desert, with tea referring to the herbal drink brewed from the plant.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Mormon tea
Today it means: Any of the North American conifers in the genus Ephedra, leafless shrubs with gray or green needle-like smaller stems native to deserts and used to make an herbal tea. Full definition →