Damigeron's Dungeon: Prestigious Plants - Gymnosperms

Plant Indices

Alphabetical Index (Genera)
Alphabetical Index (Vernacular)
Cladistic Index

EPHEDRA (Ephedra)

Division: Gnetophyta
Order: Ephedrales
Family: Ephedraceae

Ephedra funerea, or "Mormon tea," Arches National Park, Moab, Utah, USA.
Own work--climbjm.

Asia, East

Chinese: Cao Ma Huang, Ma Huang

Japanese: Kanna, Kanna-Kabi

Mongolian: Tutgha

Tibetan: Chewa, Huma, Tse, Wampo

Asia, South

Hindi: Amsania, Khanda, Somlata

Sanskrit: Asmani, Khanda-Rohida, Kupi, Somlata

Asia, West

Hebrew: Hom, Mao

Persian: Budshur, Khor Kush, Tut-i-Rawan

Europe, Central

German: Meerträubel, Meeräubel, Wüstenrute

Europe, Southern

Spanish: Calafate, Canutillo, Cañadillo, Fruta De Coyote, Pingo-Pingo, Pingopingo, Popotillo

Europe, Western

Dutch: Zeedruif

English: Ephedra, Brigham Tea, Brigham Young Weed, Climbing Ephedra, Climbing Jointfir, Desert Tea, Helvetica, Horse Tail, Indian Tea, Joint Fir, Joint Pine, Jointfir, Mormon Tea, Mountain Rush, Sea Grape, Shrubby Horsetail, Teamsters Tea

French: Ephedre

Africa, Central: Chad, Mali

Africa, Eastern: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan

Africa, Northern: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, Western Sahara

America, North: Mexico, United States (Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Wyoming)

America, South: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay

Asia, Central: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia (Altay, Buryatiya, Chita, Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, Primorye, Tuva, West Siberia, Yakutiya), Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Xinjiang

Asia, East: China, Inner Mongolia, Manchuria

Asia, South: Afghanistan, India, Nepal, Pakistan

Asia, Western: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen

Europe, Central: Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Switzerland

Europe, Eastern: Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, Ukraine

Europe, Southern: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, France (Corsica), Greece (Crete, East Aegean Islands), Italy (Sardinia, Sicily), Montenegro, Portugal (Madeira), Serbia, Slovenia, Spain (Baleares, Canary Islands)

Europe, Western: France, Portugal, Spain

Oceania: Socotra

Biome: Prefers arid, sunny habitats, from deserts to high mountains.

A genus of gymnosperm shrubs.

Used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.

Ephedra is a possible candidate for the [soma] of the Rigveda.

We are not a medical website; do not take health advice from us.

Ephedra has a history as a prescription medicine going back to 5000 BC.

All parts of the plant contain 3% alkaloid epinephrine and pseudoephedrine. This has been attributed to the following medical benefits:

Analgesic (headache, muscular pain, rheumatic pain)
Stimulant.
Raises blood pressure
Decongestant.
Asthma treatment
Respiratory infection treatment (questionable).
Weight Loss

Ephedrine products from the early 20th century.
Photo taken from the National Library of Medicine (original link defunct).

Overconsumption of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine can result in the following toxic effects:

Elevated blood pressure
Arrhythmia
Palpitation
Tachycardia
Myocardial infarction
Insomnia

The risk of toxic effects of ephedra increases if imbibed with caffeine, most notably myocardial infarction.

The biological purpose of ephedrine is as a poison against insects that disrupt their thermoregulation.

Ephedra is primarily taken directly in a tea.

Potentially useful reagent against swarms or insectoid monsters by burning them up.
Use as a magical stimulant, initiating something like a meth-excited haste-state.
Known common pain killer and decongestant, readily accessible even in ancient or medieval settings. Such trade will likely be tied heavily to manual workers involved in shipping, moving, hauling, etc.

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Common Ephedra (Ephedra distachya/helvetica)

Ephedra dystachya, female plant with ripe cones, outside Saratov city, Russia.
Own work--Le.Loup.Gris.

Asia, East

Chinese: Ma Huang

Asia, South

Hindi: Amsania, Khanda, Somlata

Sanskrit: Asmani, Khanda-Rohida, Kupi, Somlata

Asia, Northern

Russian: Khvoynik Dvukhkoloskovyy

Asia, West

Turkish: Kızılcık

Europe, Central

Czech: Chvojník Dvojklasý

German: Alte Meerestrauben, Europäischer Meerträubel, Gemeiner Meerträubel, Gewöhnliche Meerträubel, Gewöhnlicher Meerträubel, Kleiner Meerträubel, Meerträubel, Meerträubchen, Mittelmeer Meerträubel, Traubenkraut, Zweiahriger Meerträubel

Europe, Western

Dutch: Zeedruif

English: Common Ephedra, Common Joint Pine, European Ephedra, European Joint Pine, Helvetica, Joint Pine, Sea Grape, Shrubby Horsetail, Steppe Ephedra, Twospike Ephedra, Twospike Joint Pine

French: Capillaire, Pin À Queue, Raisin De Mer, Rasin De Mer, Uvette

Asia, Central: Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan

Asia, East: China (Inner Mongolia)

Asia, Northern: Russia (East European Russia, Krym, North Caucasus, Primorye, South European Russia, West Siberia)

Asia, West: Turkey

Europe, Central: Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Switzerland

Europe, Eastern: Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine

Europe, Southern: Albania, Greece, Italy (including Sardinia, Sicily), North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain

Biome: Prefers arid, sunny habitats, from deserts to high mountains.

European ephedra is an evergreen shrub that grows 25-50cm (9.8-19.7in) tall. It favors fixed grey dunes and stable sand dunes covered in continuous vegetation.

As the type-species, everything that is written in the Genus entry above applies to this plant.