Ephedra sinica 18977
Author: Otto Stapf (1857-1933)Family: Ephedraceae
Genus: Ephedra
English name: Chinese ephedra
Zone: Asia
Description
It occurs on waste and sandy places, plains, mountain slopes, 700-1600m. It is from China (Gansu, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shanxi) and Mongolia.
Ephedra sinica Observed in Mongolia by Daba (license)
Botanical Description
This is a small subshrub, to 40cm, sparsely branched. The woody stems are short or prostrate. The branchlets are straight or curved, sometimes slightly involute, internodes 3-4cm x circa 2mm, shallowly furrowed.
The leaves are opposite, connate for 1/3-2/3 their length, free part subulate to narrowly triangular, to 5mm, apex sharply pointed. The pollen cones are sessile or pedunculate, solitary or in clusters at nodes, rarely terminal. The bracts are in 4 pairs, margin very narrow, membranous, apex obtuse or subacute. There are 7 or 8 anthers, sessile or shortly stipitate.
The seed cones are terminal or axillary, solitary, oblong-ovoid or subglobose, circa 8 x 6-7mm at maturity. The bracts are in 4 pairs, connate for 1/2-3/4 their length, red and fleshy at maturity. The integument tube is 1-2mm, straight or slightly curved. There are usually 2 seeds, black-red or grayish brown, concealed by or equaling bracts.
References
- eFloras. eFloras.org Vol. 2 pag. 200005521. Ephedra sinica
- Toxicity: Its Assessment and Remediation in Important Medicinal Plants, Sahil and Sharma, Manvi and Das, Adhip and Saxena, Shubham and Rather, Shabir A. Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Healthcare and Industrial Applications 2021 pag. 571-591. DOI
The leaves are opposite, connate for 1/3-2/3 their length, free part subulate to narrowly triangular, to 5mm, apex sharply pointed. The pollen cones are sessile or pedunculate, solitary or in clusters at nodes, rarely terminal. The bracts are in 4 pairs, margin very narrow, membranous, apex obtuse or subacute. There are 7 or 8 anthers, sessile or shortly stipitate.
The seed cones are terminal or axillary, solitary, oblong-ovoid or subglobose, circa 8 x 6-7mm at maturity. The bracts are in 4 pairs, connate for 1/2-3/4 their length, red and fleshy at maturity. The integument tube is 1-2mm, straight or slightly curved. There are usually 2 seeds, black-red or grayish brown, concealed by or equaling bracts.
References
- eFloras. eFloras.org Vol. 2 pag. 200005521. Ephedra sinica
- Toxicity: Its Assessment and Remediation in Important Medicinal Plants, Sahil and Sharma, Manvi and Das, Adhip and Saxena, Shubham and Rather, Shabir A. Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Healthcare and Industrial Applications 2021 pag. 571-591. DOI
References for the genus
- eFloras. eFloras.org Vol. 2 pag. 111784. Ephedra
- Flora iberica, Santiago Castroviejo. 2010 Vol. 1 pag. 191-195. ISBN
- Flora of North America. Ephedra
- Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, P.H. Davies. 1984 Vol. 1 pag. 84-85. ISBN
- Monograph of the North American Species of the Genus Ephedra, Hugh Carson Cutler. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 1939 Vol. 26(4) pag. 373-428. JStor
- Mountain Flora of Greece, Volume 1, Arne Strid. 1989 pag. 49-50. ISBN
- Node ages, relationships, and phylogenomic incongruence in an ancient gymnosperm lineage - Phylogeny of Ephedra revisited, Rydin, Catarina and Blokzijl, Ruben and Thureborn, Olle and Wikström, Niklas. Taxon 2021 Vol. 70(4) pag. 701-719. DOI
- The genus Ephedra in NE Tropical Africa, Freitag, Helmut and Maier-Stolte, M. Kew Bulletin 2003 Vol. 58 pag. 415. DOI
- Flora iberica, Santiago Castroviejo. 2010 Vol. 1 pag. 191-195. ISBN
- Flora of North America. Ephedra
- Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, P.H. Davies. 1984 Vol. 1 pag. 84-85. ISBN
- Monograph of the North American Species of the Genus Ephedra, Hugh Carson Cutler. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 1939 Vol. 26(4) pag. 373-428. JStor
- Mountain Flora of Greece, Volume 1, Arne Strid. 1989 pag. 49-50. ISBN
- Node ages, relationships, and phylogenomic incongruence in an ancient gymnosperm lineage - Phylogeny of Ephedra revisited, Rydin, Catarina and Blokzijl, Ruben and Thureborn, Olle and Wikström, Niklas. Taxon 2021 Vol. 70(4) pag. 701-719. DOI
- The genus Ephedra in NE Tropical Africa, Freitag, Helmut and Maier-Stolte, M. Kew Bulletin 2003 Vol. 58 pag. 415. DOI
General specifications
Biological type: plant
Frost resistance: 5ºF
Leaf color: glaucous
Flower color: yellow
IUCN Red List of threatened species status: Least Concern
Specifications for the Mediterranean basin
Adult size (h x w): 3,2ft x 3,2ft
Sun exposure: full sun (Sun hours: >6h Foliage: deciduous
Growth: slow
Flowering time from April until August
Specific information for our garden
Planting substrate: 30%Compost+30%Coco+40%Sand
Plant watering: 1x a week pH 6.5
Logical sequence of containers for: Grasses; forestry plate 8cm, forest pot 3L, container 6L
Propagation is done by cuttings
Frost resistance: 5ºF
Leaf color: glaucous
Flower color: yellow
IUCN Red List of threatened species status: Least Concern
Specifications for the Mediterranean basin
Adult size (h x w): 3,2ft x 3,2ft
Sun exposure: full sun (Sun hours: >6h Foliage: deciduous
Growth: slow
Flowering time from April until August
Specific information for our garden
Planting substrate: 30%Compost+30%Coco+40%Sand
Plant watering: 1x a week pH 6.5
Logical sequence of containers for: Grasses; forestry plate 8cm, forest pot 3L, container 6L
Propagation is done by cuttings
Sowing instructions
SPRING Soak the seeds in ambient water for 12h. Sow the seeds on the surface of Well Drained Seed Sowing Mix between 64-72°F. During germination keep the substrate moist and in daylight.
The average seed weight is 102,4 per gram (0,009766g).
Germination references for the genus
- USDA Forest Service's Woody Plant Seed Manual, John K. Francis and Craig D.Whitesell. 2008. Address
The average seed weight is 102,4 per gram (0,009766g).
Germination references for the genus
- USDA Forest Service's Woody Plant Seed Manual, John K. Francis and Craig D.Whitesell. 2008. Address
Experiences in the garden
02-01-21A Obtaining seeds from seed provider Trade Wind Seeds.
03-04-25 Sown 30 seeds in a seed plate ½ in Serre6.
Protocol: Spring Soak 68°F 12h Surface Sowing mix+Sand 64-72°F Damp substrate+Light. The average weight per seed is 0,009766g.