''Ephedra viridis'', known by the common names green Mormon tea, green ephedra, and Indian tea, is a species of ''

Ephedra Ephedra may refer to: * Ephedra (medicine), a medicinal preparation from the plant ''Ephedra sinica'' * ''Ephedra'' (plant), genus of gymnosperm shrubs See also * Ephedrine Ephedrine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is of ...

''. It is indigenous to the

Western United States The Western United States (also called the American West, the Far West, and the West) is the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. As American settlement in the U.S. expanded westward, the meaning of the term ''the Wes ...

, where it is a member of varied scrub, woodland, desert, and open habitats. It grows at elevations.

Description

The ''Ephedra viridis''

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

is woody below, topped with many dense clusters of erect bright green twigs. They may yellow somewhat with age. Nodes along the twigs are marked by the tiny pairs of

vestigial Vestigiality is the retention, during the process of evolution, of genetically determined structures or attributes that have lost some or all of the ancestral function in a given species. Assessment of the vestigiality must generally rely on co ...

leaves, which start out reddish but soon dry to brown or black. Since the leaves are no longer functional, the stems are green and

photosynthetic Photosynthesis is a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy that, through cellular respiration, can later be released to fuel the organism's activities. Some of this chemical energy is stored in c ...

. Male plants produce pollen cones at the nodes, each under a centimeter long with protruding yellowish sporangiophores. Female plants produce seed cones which are slightly larger and contain two seeds each.

Uses

The drug

ephedrine Ephedrine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is often used to prevent low blood pressure during anesthesia. It has also been used for asthma, narcolepsy, and obesity but is not the preferred treatment. It is of unclear benefit in ...

, an antidepressant and decongestant, is made from this and other ''Ephedra'' species. A tea can be made by boiling the stems, whence the common name, "green Mormon tea". The plant was used medicinally by both Native Americans and the ancient Chinese (using their own local species of the genus) to treat various afflictions including

sexually transmitted diseases Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also referred to as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and the older term venereal diseases, are infections that are spread by sexual activity, especially vaginal intercourse, anal sex, and oral sex ...

such as gonorrhea and syphilis, kidney diseases, and complications with menstruation. Native American tribes such as the

Shoshone The Shoshone or Shoshoni ( or ) are a Native American tribe with four large cultural/linguistic divisions: * Eastern Shoshone: Wyoming * Northern Shoshone: southern Idaho * Western Shoshone: Nevada, northern Utah * Goshute: western Utah, easter ...

and Paiute boiled tea using the stem of the plant and combined it with the bark of ''

Purshia tridentata ''Purshia tridentata'', with the common name bitterbrush, is a shrub in the genus '' Purshia'' of the family Rosaceae. It is native to mountainous areas of western North America. Common names include antelope bitterbrush, antelope bush, buc ...

'', another shrub. In modern medicine, the plant is to treat sinus illnesses such as hay fever, common colds, and sinusitis. This use is supported by clinical trials, as is its treatment of bronchial asthma. Because the plant can be used as an appetite suppressant, it is used illegally by some athletes to lose weight and build muscle. Because it is toxic, the plant should not be ingested without a doctor’s recommendation.

References

External links

Jepson Manual Treatment: ''Ephedra viridis''''Ephedra viridis'' — U.C. Photo gallery
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5382151 viridis North American desert flora Flora of the Western United States Plants described in 1893 Flora without expected TNC conservation status