Ephedra intermedia
Ephedra intermedia, commonly known as Mormon tea, is a resilient shrub native to the arid regions of western North America. Renowned for its medicinal properties, it contains alkaloids like ephedrine. Historically utilized by Indigenous peoples, this plant serves as a significant botanical specimen in traditional herbalism and pharmacology.
- Scientific name: Ephedra intermedia
- Family: Ephedraceae
- Native range: Asia-Temperate
Taxonomical Classification
This plant, Ephedra intermedia, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Gnetidae, it is classified under the order Ephedrales. Finally, it is a member of the family Ephedraceae and the genus Ephedra.
| 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 intermedia, is referred to by various common names depending on the language and region. In Russian, it is called Хвойник средний, while in Azerbaijani, it is known as Ortaboylu acılıqotu. It is called siniefedra in Finnish, 中麻黄 in Chinese, and in Bulgarian, it is called средна ефедра.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ru | Хвойник средний | Wikidata |
| az | Ortaboylu acılıqotu | Wikidata |
| fi | siniefedra | Wikidata |
| zh | 中麻黄 | Wikidata |
| bg | средна ефедра | Wikidata |
| ja | チュウマオウ | Wikidata |
| kk | Қызыл тамыр | Wikidata |
| fa | ارمک میانه | Wikidata |
| cs | chvojník prostřední | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 中麻黄 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is primarily distributed across the vast landscapes of northern and central Asia. In the Russian region of Siberia, it can be found within the Altai mountains and throughout West Siberia. Its range extends significantly into Central Asia, where it inhabits various terrains. Specifically, the species is documented growing in the territories of Kazakhstan and Kirgizstan. Additionally, its geographical presence reaches as far south as Turkmenistan.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Siberia | Altay | WCVP |
| Siberia | West Siberia | WCVP |
| Central Asia | Kazakhstan | WCVP |
| Central Asia | Kirgizstan | WCVP |
| Central Asia | Turkmenistan | WCVP |
| Central Asia | Tadzhikistan | WCVP |
| Central Asia | Uzbekistan | WCVP |
| Caucasus | Transcaucasus | WCVP |
| Western Asia | Afghanistan | WCVP |
| Western Asia | Iran | WCVP |
Activities
Ephedra intermedia has 3 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Diuretic, Stimulant.
- Total activities
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antibacterial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Diuretic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Stimulant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Ephedra intermedia has 6 reported medicinal uses identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include COVID-19, Staphylococcus aureus, cold, edema, weight loss.
- Total uses
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 6
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| COVID-19 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Staphylococcus aureus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cold | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| edema | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| weight loss | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| wheezing | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |