Ephedra pachyclada Boiss.
عنسب، آساران
For people
- Eaten by people
- Not edible
- Toxic to people
- Toxic
For livestock
- Grazed by livestock
- Limited fodder
- Toxic to livestock
- Unknown
Edibility and safety notes
Do not eat it or brew it: the green stems contain ephedrine-type alkaloids, stimulants that can cause harmful effects on the heart, blood pressure and nervous system. One plant database lists the red fleshy cones and young stems as eaten, but this was not confirmed by a second source and a study of the related Ephedra intermedia found its fruits toxic to sheep and goats. The field guide is inconsistent on grazing (camels and goats browse it / not grazed), so treat it as a minor browse at most.
This guide is a hobby project, not expert advice. Never eat a wild plant, or feed it to animals, on the strength of this page alone. Read the disclaimer
Description
A much-branched shrub 30-120 cm tall, with many erect grey-green stems arising from the base. The jointed green stems carry out photosynthesis; the leaves are opposite, scale-like, only 2-3 mm long and fused at the base into a short sheath. A gymnosperm bearing small cones instead of flowers: male cones are rounded to ovoid, female cones smaller, with 1-2 seeds, becoming red and fleshy when ripe.
Habitat
Found at elevations of 120-4800 m, usually in montane to alpine zones of dry areas. Associated with shrublands, woodlands, Pistacia and Juniperus communities.
Distribution
Native from Sinai to Pakistan. Found in the Middle East from Yemen to Pakistan.
Pastoral value
Browsed by goats and camels.
Other uses
The stems contain the alkaloids ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. Traditionally the stems were made into a tea for asthma, hay fever, catarrh and coughs. These alkaloids are potent stimulants with documented harmful effects on the heart and nervous system, so the plant should not be used for self-treatment.
Sources
- الدليل الحقلي المصور للنباتات البرية في سلطنة عُمان (BOOK.pdf p.95)
- Plants of the World Online - Ephedra pachyclada Boiss. — powo.science.kew.org
- Useful Temperate Plants - Ephedra pachyclada — temperate.theferns.info
- Ephedrae Herba: A Review of Its Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Clinical Application, and Alkaloid Toxicity (Molecules 2023) — ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Iranian Journal of Natural Resources - forage value and toxicity of Ephedra intermedia for sheep and goats — ijnr.ut.ac.ir
- The Gymnosperm Database - Ephedra pachyclada — conifers.org
- Plants For A Future - Ephedra intermedia — pfaf.org
- Iranian Journal of Animal Science Research - nutritive value of Ephedra intermedia for sheep — ijasr.um.ac.ir
- Ephedrae Herba review, Molecules 2023 (PMC; seen in search results) — pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov