Ephedra sinica (also known as Chinese ephedra or Ma Huang) is a species of Ephedra native to Mongolia, Russia (Buryatiya, Chita, Primorye), and northeastern China (Gansu, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shanxi).[2][3]

Chinese ephedra
(Cao Ma Huang—草麻黄)
Ephedra sinica
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Gymnospermae
Division: Gnetophyta
Class: Gnetopsida
Order: Ephedrales
Family: Ephedraceae
Genus: Ephedra
Species:
E. sinica
Binomial name
Ephedra sinica
Stapf
Synonyms[2]
  • Ephedra flava F.P.Sm.
  • Ephedra ma-huang Tang S.Liu

Uses

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Medicinal

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It is the primary source of the medicinal preparation ephedra, also known by its Chinese name ma huang. It has been proposed as a candidate for the legendary soma of the Rigveda.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Bell, A. & Bachman, S. (2011). Ephedra sinica. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011: e.T201702A9168958. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T201702A9168958.en. Downloaded on 05 September 2018.
  2. ^ a b "World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew". apps.kew.org. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
  3. ^ "Ephedra sinica in Flora of China @ efloras.org". www.efloras.org. Retrieved 2016-07-07.