Ephedra americana
Ephedra americana
Safety & Hazards
Many species in this genus contain phenylethylamine alkaloids (e.g. ephedrine, pseudoephedrine). These compounds have stimulant properties and are effective medications in the treatment of a number of conditions. However, they do also have potential side effects and are contraindicated in a number of conditions including anxiety, anorexia, bulimia, diabetes, glaucoma, hypertension, thyrotoxicosis[ 2129 Title Ephedra foeminea Forssk. Publication Flora Palestina Ethnobotany website accessed 16/01/2023 Author Website https://florapal.org/plant/ephedra-foeminea/ Publisher Year 2023 ISBN Description ].
Botanical Description
Ephedra americana is an erect, much-branched, evergreen shrub with very small, scale-like leaves and green, wiry stems where most photosynthesis takes place; it can grow 2 metres or more tall, spreading by means of rhizomes to form large clumps[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. , 1915 Title Ethnobotany of the Andes Publication Author Bussmann R.W. & Paniagua-Zambrana N.Y. (Editors) Website https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28933-1 Publisher Springer Nature; Switzerland Year 2020 ISBN 978-3-030-28932-4 Description ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local medicinal use and is sometimes sold in local markets, especially in the Andes where it is sometimes traded as an adulterant of Equisetum species[ 46 Title Dictionary of Economic Plants. Publication Author Uphof. J. C. Th. Publisher Weinheim Year 1959 ISBN - Description An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader. , 1915 Title Ethnobotany of the Andes Publication Author Bussmann R.W. & Paniagua-Zambrana N.Y. (Editors) Website https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28933-1 Publisher Springer Nature; Switzerland Year 2020 ISBN 978-3-030-28932-4 Description ]. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental, valued for its wiry stems and small red fruits, and can be used as a ground cover. Ephedra americana has a wide range and does not appear to be facing any major threats. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].