Ephedra aphylla, Ephedra alte, Joint pine,
שרביטן ריסני
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| | Scientific name: |
| Ephedra aphylla Forssk. |
| Synonym name: |
| Ephedra alte C.A.Mey. |
| Common name: |
| Joint pine |
| Hebrew name: |
| שרביטן ריסני |
| Family: |
| Ephedraceae, שרביטניים |
Date Picture Taken: May 30, 2008
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| | Life form: |
| Phanerophyte, shrub |
| Leaves: |
| Whorled, scale |
| Flowers: |
| Yellow |
| Flowering Period: |
| March, April, May |
| Habitat: |
| Sand, Hard rock outcrops |
| Distribution: |
| Mediterranean Woodlands and Shrublands, Semi-steppe shrublands, Shrub-steppes, Deserts and extreme deserts |
| Chorotype: |
| Saharo-Arabian |
| Summer shedding: |
| Perenating |
Date Picture Taken: June 13, 2008
Derivation of the botanical name:
Ephedra, the Greek name used by Pliny for the common mare's tail (Hippuris; hippo "horse" and
oura "tail") which it somewhat resembles. certain species are the source of ephedrine which, as ma-huang, the Chinese have used in medicine for centuries.
aphylla, without leaves.
alte, on high, high up, deeply, loftily.
שרביטן ,sharvitan; the Hebrew word Sharvit means scepter.
- The standard author abbreviation Forssk. is used to indicate Peter Forsskål (1732 – 1763), a Swedish explorer, orientalist and naturalist.
- The standard author abbreviation C.A.Mey. is used to indicate Carl Anton von Meyer (1795 – 1855), a Russian botanist and explorer.
Ephedra, also known as Ma Huang (Ephedra sinica), is an herb utilized by Chinese medicine for more than 2,500 years due to its ability to remedy symptoms
of asthma and upper respiratory infections.
As an "energy" product, ephedra increases alertness and perception. The use of ephedra dates back to bodyguards of Genghis Khan,
who, legend has it, fearful of being beheaded if they fell asleep on duty, consumed tea containing ephedra to stay alert.
Zen monks used the herb to promote calm concentration during meditation.
Ephedra became popular to Mormon settlers in the early 1800s as a stimulant consumed in the form of tea in place of the coffee and black
tea from which they abstained, giving the plant one of its many names, Mormon Tea.
Date Picture Taken: June 13, 2008
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