Ephedra

Ephedra

• 3.
  • Systematic Position •Distribution • Morphology • Anatomical features • Economic importance
• 4.
  Systematic position. Division:Gnetophyta Class: Gnetopsida Order:Ephedrales Family:Ephedraceae Genus: Ephedra
• 5.
  • The Ephedraplant belongs to the Gnetum family(gnetaceae) • It is an upstanding brushy bush that can grow up to 60 cm high. • Ephedra is an evergreen shrub like plant native to central ASIA, and morm ; it also grow in the southwestern united states. • It is also called commonly as joint pine, joint fir, mormon tea or Brigham tea) is the only genus in family Ephedraceae and order Ephedrales. • It is represented by 50 species • These species grow in the dry climate over wide area of the northern hemisphere including north america, europe, north africa and south west and central asia. • Eight species of Ephedra are known in India.Some of the common Indian species are E. gerardiana, E.sexatilis, E.foliata etc. • These species are distributed in dry parts of punjab, haryana, rajasthan and parts of kashmir to sikkim.
• 6.
  • The plantbody is sporophytic and shows xerophytic characters. • Mostly the plants are woody shurbs, and some species grow into a small tree. • Shruby plant body usually remain less than two meters in height in most of the species. • Chamberlain (1935) mentioned that Ephedra is a short lived plant. • It resemble Equisetum in its external morphology. • In some species, it's height up to several meters. • Plant body can be differentiated into 3 parts- root, stems & leaves.
• 7.
  • There isa prominent underground tap root system later adventitious root also develops. • Many root hairs are present but there is no mycorrhiza. • Like Equisetum the stem is green, branched, and differentiated into nodes and internodes. • It perform the function of photosynthesis and maybe called as phylloclade. • The branches arise from the axillary buds and are therefore in pairs of 3 or 4 according to the no. of scaly leaves at the nodes in different species. • The branches are also green and differentiated into nodes and internodes.
• 8.
  • Leaves aresmall scaly, present in pairs at the node and are arranged in opposite decussated manner. • These leaves unite at the base to form a basal sheath. • Each leaf contain two unbranched, parallel veins. They are so minute that they are of no use i.e unable to perform photosynthesis. • The function of photosynthesis is carried out by green stem. • True fiage leaves are absent.
• 9.
  • T.S ofyoung stem. • T.S of old stem. • Anatomy of leaf.
• 10.
  • The outlineshows many ridges and grooves. • outermost layer is epidermis with a thick layer of cuticle. • many sunken stomata are also present. • The wide zone of thin walled chlorophyll containing green cells is • present in between the thick walled sclerenchyma and vasuclar cylinder. • Many intercellular spaces are also present in this region. • The vascular cylinder is an endarch siphonostele.
• 11.
  • It isa single layered heavily cuticularized epidermis. • The cortex is also differentiated into sclerenchyma, chlorenchyma,& parenchyma. • Presence of vessel is the characteristic feature of the wood of Ephedra. • Resin of Ephedra. • Parenchymatous pith is present in the centre.
• 12.
  • In T.Sthe reduced and membranous scaly leaves are somewhat oval in outline. • The epidermis consist of elongated or oval cells. • Cuticle is also present. • Stomata when present are sunken. • Many air spaces are present in the parenchymatous and palisade region. • The vascular bundles are 2 in no.
• 13.
  • Ephedrine, analkaloid obtained from several species of Ephedra, is used in preparation of medicines for treatment of asthma, bronchitis,cough cold, nasal disorder, hay fever, and also used to treat kidney disorder. • stem, root of several species is used in curing syphilis and rheumatism. • Ephedra gerardiana tincture is effective in cardic and circulatory stimulant. • Rhizome of Ephedra gerardiana is used as fuel by the people of Tibet. • Some species are grown as ornamental plants.