| Chinese ephedra (Cao Ma Huang—草麻黄) | |
|---|---|
| |
| Ephedra sinica | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Gymnospermae |
| Division: | Gnetophyta |
| Class: | Gnetopsida |
| Order: | Ephedrales |
| Family: | Ephedraceae |
| Genus: | Ephedra |
| Species: | E. sinica
|
| Binomial name | |
| Ephedra sinica Stapf
| |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Ephedra sinica (also known as Chinese ephedra or Ma Huang) is a species of Ephedra native to Mongolia, Russia (Buryatiya, Chita, Primorye), and northeastern China (Gansu, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shanxi).[2][3]
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Main article: Ephedra (medicine) |
It is the primary source of the medicinal preparation ephedra, also known by its Chinese name ma huang. It has been proposed as a candidate for the legendary soma of the Rigveda.
