Which of the following is characteristic features of Ephedra?

Physical description. Members of the genus Ephedra are low, straggling, or climbing desert shrubs. The leaves, reduced to scales about one centimetre long, are opposite or whorled about the nodes of green branchlets. The bulk of photosynthesis occurs in the green stems.

What are Angiospermic features of Ephedra plant?

Like Equisetum, the stem is green, ribbed, branched, fluted and differentiated into nodes and internodes (Fig. 1B). It is distinctly jointed fir) (therefore, commonly known as jointed fir). It performs the function of photosynthesis and may be called as phylloclade.

What is unique about the shrubs in the genus Ephedra?

The genus Ephedra is characterized by shrubs or climbers that habituate in dry, rocky areas. They vary in color and can have stems that are red, brown, yellow, brown/gray, green, or blue green. Many species in this genus are edible or serve some type of medicinal purpose.

What characteristic distinguishes Gnetophytes from other gymnosperms?

One of the physical features that distinguish the gnetophytes from other gymnospermous divisions is the presence of vessels in the xylem.

What are the leaves of an ephedra plant?

Physical description. Members of the genus Ephedra are low, straggling, or climbing desert shrubs. The leaves, reduced to scales about one centimetre long, are opposite or whorled about the nodes of green branchlets. The bulk of photosynthesis occurs in the green stems.

How is the Ephedra similar to a horsetail?

With its jointed stems and small leaves, Ephedra superficially resembles the horsetail, Equisetum. The stems of Ephedra form secondary xylem, or wood, as do the stems of conifers and many angiosperms. Ephedra wood is extremely hard. The cones of Ephedra are borne in the leaf axils and are very tiny—the smallest in the gnetophyte group.

How many species of Ephedra are there in the world?

Reproduction 5. Economic Importance. Ephedra (commonly known 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.

What can ephedra alkaloids do to your body?

Alkaloids obtained from the species of Ephedra used in herbal medicines, which are used to synthetically prepare pseudoephedrine and ephedrine, can cause cardiovascular events. These events have been associated with arrhythmias, palpitations, tachycardia and myocardial infarction.