Ephedra fragilis
Ephedra fragilis, commonly known as the fragile ephedra, is a perennial shrub native to diverse arid regions. Renowned for its medicinal properties, this plant contains bioactive alkaloids like ephedrine. Historically utilized in traditional medicine, it plays a significant role in pharmacology for treating respiratory ailments and stimulating metabolic activity.
- Scientific name: Ephedra fragilis
- Family: Ephedraceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. It falls into the subclass Gnetidae and the order Ephedrales, specifically being a member of the family Ephedraceae. Within this taxonomic hierarchy, it is categorized under the genus Ephedra as the species Ephedra fragilis.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Gnetidae | WCVP |
| Order | Ephedrales | WCVP |
| Family | Ephedraceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Ephedra | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Ephedra fragilis, is referred to by various common names depending on the language and region. In Hebrew, it is called שרביטן שביר, while in Catalan, it is known as trompera fràgil. It is identified in Arabic as علندى هشة and is written in Malayalam as എഫിഡ്ര ഫ്രാഗിലിസ്, and in Czech, it is called chvojník křehký.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| he | שרביטן שביר | Wikidata |
| ca | trompera fràgil | Wikidata |
| ar | علندى هشة | Wikidata |
| ml | എഫിഡ്ര ഫ്രാഗിലിസ് | Wikidata |
| cs | chvojník křehký | Wikidata |
| arz | علندى هشه | Wikidata |
| es | Cañadillo | Wikidata |
| es | Uva marina | Wikidata |
| es | Agraz marino | Wikidata |
| es | Canadillo | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is primarily distributed across various regions within Southwestern Europe. Specifically, it can be found growing in the Baleares islands, Portugal, and Spain. Its range also extends into Southeastern Europe, where it inhabits certain territories. Within this southeastern region, the species is notably present in Italy. Finally, it is also documented growing on the island of Sicilia.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Europe | Baleares | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Portugal | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Spain | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Italy | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Sicilia | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Algeria | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Libya | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Morocco | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Tunisia | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Western Sahara | WCVP |
Chemicals
Ephedra fragilis has 8 reported phytochemicals identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include caffeic acid, catechin, flavonoids, flavonols, hydroxycinnamic acids.
- Total chemicals
- 8
- Scientific sources
- 8
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| caffeic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| catechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonols | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hydroxycinnamic acids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| polyphenols | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| rutin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tannins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |