Ephedra distachya

Ephedra distachya
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Gnetophyta
Class:	Gnetopsida
Order:	Ephedrales
Family:	Ephedraceae
Genus:	Ephedra
Species:	E. distachya
Binomial name
Ephedra distachya L.
Synonyms
Chaetocladus distachys (L.) J.Nelson Ephedra monostachya L. Ephedra polygonoides Pall. 1815 not Siev. 1796 Ephedra vulgaris Rich., illegitimate name Ephedra minor Host Ephedra botryoides Fisch. Ephedra media C.A.Mey. Ephedra subtristachya C.A.Mey. Ephedra arborea Lag. ex Bertol. Ephedra clusii Dufour Ephedra macrocephala Bertol. Ephedra maritima St.-Lag. Ephedra dubia Regel Ephedra podostylax Boiss. Ephedra linnaei Stapf ex Koehne Ephedra helvetica C.A.Mey. Ephedra rigida St.-Lag. Ephedra negrii Nouviant

Ephedra distachya is a shrub in the family Ephedraceae, about 25 cm to 50 cm high, that grows in southern and central Europe and parts of western and central Asia from Portugal to Kazakhstan. Its local names include somlatha.

It is used to relieve acute muscular and rheumatic pains (when it is called teamsters' tea), as a stimulant, and in the cardio tonics in Ayurveda. It is sometimes identified with the legendary drug soma, as described in the Avesta and the Rig Veda, the respective ancient sacred texts of the Zoroastrian and Hindu faiths.

Ephedrine, an alkaloid, is obtained from its dried branches and is used as a stimulant, often to control asthma. It was isolated from the plant by Nagayoshi Nagai in 1885. All parts of the plant contain up to 3% ephedrine.

Botanical illustration.

Male plant in bloom.

Pollen cones.

Female cones.

Ripe cones with seeds.

Female plant with ripe cones.

Rhizome and bark.

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