Ephedra (genus)
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 Ephedra distachya in France
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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 Chinese name is 麻黄, má huáng, which means "yellow hemp". Ephedra is also sometimes called sea grape (from the French raisin de mer), although that is also a common name for Coccoloba uvifera.
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[edit] Medical uses
Plants of the Ephedra genus, including E. sinica 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.[1] 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 sympathomimetics with stimulant and decongestant qualities and are related chemically to the amphetamines. Ephedra nevandensis contains ephedrine in its roots, stems and branches.[2] Ephedra distachya contains up to 3% ephedrine in the entire plant.[3] Ephedra sinica contains approximately 2.2% ephedrine.[4]
[edit] Species
The following list of species is from the Gymnosperm Database page for Ephedra.
- Ephedra alata Decne
- Ephedra altissima Desf.
- Ephedra americana Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.[5]
- 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.[5]
- Ephedra chilensis C. Presl[5]
- Ephedra ciliata Fisch. ex C. A. Mey.[5]
- 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 equisetina Bunge - Ma huang
- Ephedra fasciculata A.Nels. - Arizona Ephedra, Arizona Jointfir, Desert Mormon-tea Photo
- Ephedra fedtschenkoae Pauls.
- Ephedra fragilis Desf.
- Ephedra fragilis subsp. campylopoda (C.A.Meyer) 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 intermedia Schrenk ex C.A.Meyer
- Ephedra lepidosperma C.Y.Cheng
Ephedra distachya
- Ephedra likiangensis Florin
- Ephedra macedonica Kos.
- Ephedra major Host
- Ephedra major subsp. procera Fischer & C.A.Meyer
- Ephedra minuta Florin
- Ephedra monosperma C.A.Meyer
- Ephedra nevadensis S.Wats. - Nevada Ephedra, Nevada Jointfir, Nevada Mormon-tea
- Ephedra pachyclada Boiss.[5]
- Ephedra pedunculata Engelm. ex S.Wats. - Vine Ephedra, Vine Jointfir
- Ephedra procera Fisch. & C. A. Mey.[5]
- Ephedra przewalskii Stapf
- Ephedra przewalskii var. kaschgarica (B.Fedtsch. & Bobr.) C.Y.Cheng
- Ephedra regeliana Florin - Xi Zi Ma Huang
- Ephedra saxatilis (Stapf) Royle ex Florin
- Ephedra sinica Stapf - Cao Ma Huang, Chinese ephedra
- Ephedra strobilacea Bunge[5]
- Ephedra torreyana S.Wats. - Torrey's Ephedra, Torrey's Jointfir, Torrey's Mormon-tea, Cañutillo
- Ephedra trifurca Torrey ex S.Wats. - Longleaf Ephedra, Longleaf Jointfir, Longleaf Mormon-tea, Popotilla, Teposote
- Ephedra viridis Coville - Green Ephedra, Green Mormon-tea
[edit] Gallery
 Ephedra antisyphilitica |
 Ephedra chilensis |
 Ephedra fragilis |
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 Ephedra fragilis |
 Ephedra nevadensis |
 Ephedra regeliana with Canadian quarter for scale |
 Ephedra viridis |
[edit] Seeds
 Ephedra ciliata |
 Ephedra nevadensis |
[edit] References
- ^ Abourashed E, El-Alfy A, Khan I, Walker L (2003). "Ephedra in perspective--a current review". Phytother Res 17 (7): 703–12. doi:. PMID 12916063.
- ^ Species Information. sun.ars-grin.gov. Retrieved on 2008-04-17.
- ^ Meerträubel (Ephedra distachya) im GIFTPFLANZEN.COMpendium - www.giftpflanzen.com. www.giftpflanzen.com. Retrieved on 2008-04-18.
- ^ Species Information. sun.ars-grin.gov. Retrieved on 2008-04-18.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Species in GRIN for genus. www.ars-grin.gov. Retrieved on 2008-05-03.
