Ephedra (genus)

Ephedra is a genus of gymnosperm shrubs, the only genus in the family Ephedraceae and order Ephedrales. These plants occur in dry climates over a wide area mainly in the northern hemisphere, across southern Europe, north Africa, southwest and central Asia, southwestern North America, and, in the southern hemisphere, in South America south to Patagonia. They are also called Joint-pine, Jointfir, or Mormon-tea. The name is 麻黄, ''má huáng'', which means "yellow hemp". Ephedra is also sometimes called sea grape , although that is also a common name for ''Coccoloba uvifera''.

Medical uses

Plants of the ''Ephedra'' genus, including '''' and others, have traditionally been used by indigenous people for a variety of medicinal purposes, including treatment of asthma, hay fever, and the common cold. They have also been proposed as a candidate for the Soma plant of Indo-Iranian religion. The alkaloids ephedrine and pseudoephedrine are active constituents of ''E. sinica'' and other members of the genus. These compounds are with stimulant and decongestant qualities and are related chemically to the amphetamines. ''Ephedra nevandensis'' contains ephedrine in its roots, stems and branches. ''Ephedra distachya'' contains up to 3% ephedrine in the entire plant. ''Ephedra sinica'' contains approximately 2.2% ephedrine.

Species

*''Ephedra alata'' Decne
*''Ephedra altissima'' Desf.
*''Ephedra americana'' Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.
*''Ephedra antisyphilitica'' Berl. ex C.A.Meyer - Clapweed, Erect Ephedra
*''Ephedra aspera'' Engelm. ex S.Wats. - Boundary Ephedra, Pitamoreal
*''Ephedra californica'' S.Wats. - California Ephedra, California Jointfir
*''Ephedra campylopoda'' C. A. Mey.
*''Ephedra chilensis'' C. Presl
*''Ephedra ciliata'' Fisch. ex C. A. Mey.
*''Ephedra coryi'' E.L.Reed - Cory's Ephedra
*''Ephedra cutleri'' Peebles - Navajo Ephedra, Cutler's Ephedra, Cutler Mormon-tea, Cutler's Jointfir
*''Ephedra distachya'' L. - Joint-pine, Jointfir
**''Ephedra distachya'' L. subsp. ''distachya''
**''Ephedra distachya'' subsp. ''helvetica'' Aschers. & Graebn.
**''Ephedra distachya'' L. subsp. ''monostachya'' Riedl
*''Ephedra equisetina'' Bunge - Ma huang
*''Ephedra fasciculata'' A.Nels. - Arizona Ephedra, Arizona Jointfir, Desert Mormon-tea
*''Ephedra fedtschenkoae'' Pauls.
*''Ephedra foliata'' Boiss. ex C.A.Mey.
*''Ephedra fragilis'' Desf.
**''Ephedra fragilis'' subsp. ''campylopoda'' Aschers. & Graebn.
*''Ephedra frustillata'' Miers - Patagonian Ephedra
*''Ephedra funerea'' Coville & Morton - Death Valley Ephedra, Death Valley Jointfir
*''Ephedra gerardiana'' Wallich ex C.A.Meyer - Gerard's Jointfir, Shan Ling Ma Huang
*''Ephedra holoptera'' Riedl
*''Ephedra intermedia'' Schrenk ex C.A.Meyer
*''Ephedra lepidosperma'' C.Y.Cheng
*''Ephedra likiangensis'' Florin
*''Ephedra lomatolepis'' Shrenk
*''Ephedra macedonica'' Kos.
*''Ephedra major'' Host
**''Ephedra major'' subsp. ''procera'' Fischer & C.A.Meyer
*''Ephedra minuta'' Florin
*''Ephedra monosperma'' C.A.Meyer
*''Ephedra multiflora'' Phil. ex Stapf
*''Ephedra nevadensis'' S.Wats. - Nevada Ephedra, Nevada Jointfir, Nevada Mormon-tea
*''Ephedra pachyclada'' Boiss.
*''Ephedra pedunculata'' Engelm. ex S.Wats. - Vine Ephedra, Vine Jointfir
*''Ephedra procera'' Fisch. & C. A. Mey.
*''Ephedra przewalskii'' Stapf
**''Ephedra przewalskii'' var. ''kaschgarica'' C.Y.Cheng
*''Ephedra regeliana'' Florin - Xi Zi Ma Huang
*''Ephedra saxatilis'' Royle ex Florin
*''Ephedra sinica'' Stapf - Cao Ma Huang, Chinese ephedra
*''Ephedra strobilacea'' Bunge
*''Ephedra torreyana'' S.Wats. - Torrey's Ephedra, Torrey's Jointfir, Torrey's Mormon-tea, Ca?utillo
*''Ephedra trifurca'' Torrey ex S.Wats. - Longleaf Ephedra, Longleaf Jointfir, Longleaf Mormon-tea, Popotilla, Teposote
*''Ephedra viridis'' Coville - Green Ephedra, Green Mormon-tea

Gallery

Seeds