ephedra

American  

[ih-fed-ruh, ef-i-druh] / ɪˈfɛd rə, ˈɛf ɪ drə /

noun

1. any of various plants of the genus Ephedra, growing in dry regions and having branching stems with dry scalelike leaves.

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ephedra British  

/ ɪˈfɛdrə /

noun

1. any gymnosperm shrub of the genus Ephedra, of warm regions of America and Eurasia: the source of ephedrine: family Ephedraceae , phylum Gnetophyta

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Etymology

Origin of ephedra

< New Latin (Linnaeus) < Greek ephédra the horsetail plant, literally, sitting (upon a place), equivalent to ep- ep- + hédra seat, sitting ( cathedra )

Compare meaning

How does ephedra compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• ephedra vs. ephedrine

Example Sentences

Previously, the Taliban were understood to charge tax on ephedra.

From BBC

Herbal supplements included in the analysis were green tea, garcinia cambogia, mangosteen, white kidney bean, ephedra, African mango, yerba mate, veld grape, licorice root and East Indian globe thistle.

From BBC

For more than 2,000 years in China, the ephedra plant, an odd relative of conifers, has been used as a decongestant.

From Washington Post

Several of the ‘decoctions’ promoted by the health ministry’s official COVID-19 treatment guidelines include a herb called ephedra, which contains the stimulant pseudoephedrine.

From Nature

Putnam asks, as she follows her goats through the rabbit brush and scrubby ephedra, also called Mormon tea.

From Los Angeles Times