Ephedra
Appearance
Ephedra Temporal range:
| |
---|---|
Ephedra viridis | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Division: | Gnetophyta |
Class: | Gnetopsida |
Order: | Ephedrales |
Family: | Ephedraceae |
Genus: | Ephedra L.[1] |
Type species | |
Ephedra distachya | |
Global range of Ephedra | |
Synonyms[2] | |
|
Ephedra is a group of plants. It is the only one in its family, Ephedraceae. Ephedra species are found naturally in many places, like southwestern North America, southern Europe, northern Africa, southwest and central Asia, northern China and western South America.[2]
Ephedra species often grow in the temperate zone. They often grow on shores or sandy places where they get a lot of sunlight. In English, they are often called joint-pine, jointfir, Mormon-tea. In Chinese, it is called mahuang (simplified Chinese: 麻黄; traditional Chinese: 麻黃; pinyin: máhuáng; Wade–Giles: ma-huang; literally: "hemp yellow").[3]
Some species, like Ephedra sinica, are used in medicine.[4]
References
[change | change source]- ↑ Kramer KU, Green PS, Götz E (1990). Kramer KU, Green PS (eds.). The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants, Vol. 1: Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. pp. 379–381. ISBN 3540517944.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families[permanent dead link]
- ↑ "Ephedra". Cambridge University Botanic Garden. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
- ↑ "Ephedra Sinica". AACC.org. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2018.