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Chinese Ephedra

Conifers and Other Gymnosperms

Chinese ephedra, Ephedra sinica, is a shrub of the phylum Gnetophyta native to arid regions of northern China and Mongolia, with slender, jointed, nearly leafless green stems adapted to dry conditions. Known in traditional Chinese medicine as ma huang, it has been used for thousands of years to treat respiratory ailments, and it is the natural source of the alkaloid ephedrine, a stimulant compound later isolated and developed into pharmaceutical decongestants and, controversially, weight-loss and performance supplements before many such uses were restricted.

Facts
Classification
Diet
Photosynthetic Autotroph 1
System (Realm)
Terrestrial 1
Relationship to People
Used in Traditional Medicine 2
Living or Extinct
Yes 3
Scientific Name
Ephedra sinica 2
Conservation Status
Least Concern 2
Comparison
CITES Appendix
Not Listed 4
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Plantae, Taxa
Source Ephedra sinica (Wikidata)

In Biome

Steppe, Biomes
Source Chinese Ephedra (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Manchuria

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Mongolia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

South Asia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sources
1. Ephedra Sinica (Wikipedia)
  • Lead, sentence naming the group it belongs to
    Ephedra sinica (also known as Chinese ephedra or ma huang) is a species of Ephedra in the plant family Ephedraceae.
  • Article text
    Native to Mongolia, northern China, and Russia, it is a shrub found on arid highland slopes, dry river beds, steppes, fields or mountain sides.
  • system statement
    Native to Mongolia, northern China, and Russia, it is a shrub found on arid highland slopes, dry river beds, steppes, fields or mountain sides.
View the Source
2. Ephedra sinica (Wikidata)
Wikidata
  • Wikidata Q2602813 (P225 taxon name)
  • Wikidata P141 (IUCN conservation status) claim, entity QID Q2602813
  • Statements section, conservation status (P141)
    IUCN Red List conservation status (Wikidata property P141): least concern.
  • Child Taxon Of: Plantae, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chain
View the Source
3. GBIF Species API
GBIF Species APIView the Source
4. UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat): Species+: Plantae
UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat)Species+ taxon_concepts, id 45
Quote, Species+ taxon_concepts, id 45
"cites_listing":"I/II/III/NC","eu_listing":"A/B/C/D/NC","higher_taxa":{"kingdom":"Plantae","phylum":null,"class":null,"order":null,"family":null},"synonyms":[],"common_names":[{"name":"Plants","language":"EN"},{"name":"Flora","language":"EN"}],"cites_listings":[]
View the Source
Plant (Wikipedia)
Lead, whole group is photosynthetic
Quote, Lead, whole group is photosynthetic
They are predominantly photosynthetic or came from photosynthetic ancestors, meaning that they obtain their energy from sunlight by using the green pigment chlorophyll in their chloroplasts to produce sugars from carbon dioxide and water.
View the Source
Chinese Ephedra (Wikipedia)
In Biome: Steppe, Wikipedia intro: "Mongolia, northern China, and Russia, it is a shrub found on arid highland slopes, dry river beds, steppes, fields or mountain sides. E. sinica contains alkaloi..."View the Source
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