IUCN Status
: Least Concern
Author: Ankit jangir
Explorer and field botanist.
- Shrubby horsetail, Joint pine, Mormon tea, Brigham tea, Untphog
- Ephedraceae
- Ephedra alte C.A.Mey. , Ephedra ciliata Fisch. & C.A.Mey. , Ephedra ciliata Aitch. , Ephedra asparagoides Griff.
- Fatehpur shekhawati, sikar, Rajasthan.
- Naturally grown
-
- Ephedra foliata is the only widely distributed gymnosperm species in Rajasthan. It presents as an evergreen climbing shrub, although it may also exhibit prostrate growth.
- Ephedra is a highly evolved gymnosperm (member of class Gnetopsida) because it contains flower-like compound strobili or inflorescences; vessels are present (modified tracheids).
- Stem is differentiated into Nodes and Internodes; and Photosynthetic(Phylloclade) .
- Leaves - only scaly leaves are present, foliage leaves are absent in Ephedra foliata.
- Ephedra foliata is a Heterosporous, Dioecious plant( Female and Male reproductive structures develops on different-different plants).
- Flowering time - February to March. -
Ephedra foloata
Male plant body
male flowers(male strobilus) develops on the nodes of branches in axil of scaly leaves. each strobili contain multiple male flowers. a short stalked structure which is known as sporangiophore emerges from flower and bears 8-10 microsporangia or anther lobes. -
Ephedra foliata
Female plant body
Number of female Strobili are depends on the number of Scaly leaves present on the Node. Strobilus is a elongated structure; upper ends are pointed and surrounded by many pairs of bracts(opposite and decussate arrangement). bracts are sterile(except uppermost pair).
So beautiful pictures as always….