Ephedra alata Decne.

General Appearance

Ephedra alata Decne., it is a dioecious shrub, usually less than 1 meter in height. The roots of this plant are very fibrous and help the plant firmly anchor in sandy soil. This shrub has rigid and branched stems. This desert plant species does not possess spines and is non-succulent. The leaves are very short (about 3-6mm) and are united toward the base of the plant, forming leaf sheaths. The leaf arrangements are organized in an opposite pattern, with two leaves per node. The leaves are termed scale leaves because they are thick. This plant is known as conifer because the reproductive portions of this species are organized in yellow-green cones. The male, staminate cones are oval, 3-8 mm long, organized in dense clusters, with 3-6 stipitate microsporangia. The female, or ovulate cones are found at the nodes of the stems. The ovulate cones are oval, up to 10mm long, with 4-5 pairs of overlapping yellow bracts surrounding two ovules. The seeds present in the ovulate cones are oval and acuminate in shape.

Flowering in: Mar-Apr.

Life Form

Ch

Phytochoria

SA. The native range of this species is N. Africa to Arabian Peninsula.

Distribution in Libya

Al-Jafarah Plain: Farwa 1984

Benghazi Plain: Wadi El-Ghattara 2010 Beach sand dunes in Karkurah 2021

Jabal Nafusa: Msallata (Shaafeen) 2008 Msallata National Park (Shaafeen) 2013 Jabal Nafusa (Wadi El-Watiah), Abughilan 2016

Al-Jabal Al-Akhder: Ras El-Hilal, near coastal road 1978 Wadi Zaza 2003 El-Bakur 2007 Wadi (Valley) Stowah region 2007 Al-Dercya, Shahat, El Fadil Abou Omar, Qandulah, Al-Marj-Al-Baida motorway 2011 Wadi El-Kouf 2014 Shahat old city 2017 Wadi Zaza 2017 Wadi Derna 2017 From Nuqrat Said to Wadi Al-Zagzoog 2019 Ain Mara 2020 Wadi Al-Kouf 2021

Marmarica Plateau: Marmarica-north-eastern part of Libya (2002)

Al-Kufra area: Tazerbo-EI-Kufra 1931

Notes

Wild in Libya, medicinal plant.

This species is accepted: https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:383343-1

Link of images: https://flora.org.il/en/plants/ephala/, https://www.gbif.org/species/2653286

For more information

https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:383343-1, https://www.ipni.org/n/383343-1, https://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0000794281, https://www.gbif.org/species/2653286, https://africanplantdatabase.ch/en/nomen/specie/131040/ephedra-alata-decne, https://www.ksanature.com/plants/ephedra_alata/,https://flora.org.il/en/plants/ephala/, https://www.conifers.org/ep/Ephedra_alata.php, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephedra_alata

Bibliographic References

First: Encyclopedia Flora of Libyan:

Sherif, A.S. & EL·Taife, A. (1986) Flora of Libya, Gymnosperms Vol. (152) Department of Botany, Al-Faateh Univ., Tripoli, Libya. Page. 7.

Second: Researches and PhD theses, master theses, Sorted by Newest:

Alteerah, M.A., El-Barasi, Y.M., Ali Alwerfally, A. (2023) Vegetation cover composition and seed bank study of beach sand dunes in Karkurah coastal area, east of Libya. Sustainability, Agri, Food and Environmental Research, (ISSN: 0719-3726), 11(X), 2023. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yacoub-El-Barasi, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Munay-Alteerah

Vegetation cover composition and seed bank study of beach sand dunes in Karkurah coastal area. 2023

Al-Traboulsi, M. & Alaib, M.A. (2021) A Survey of medicinal plants of Wadi Al-Kouf in Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar, Libya. NAT. CROAT, VOL. 30. No 2. (389-404), ZAGREB. December 31, 2021. https://hrcak.srce.hr/269442, https://hrcak.srce.hr/file/390805

Medicinal plants of Wadi Al-Kouf in Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar, Libya. 2021

Saaed, M.W.B., EL-Barasi, Y.M. & Rahil, R.O. (2021) An updated checklist and quantitative analysis of the Marmarica Plateau flora, in the north-eastern part of Libya. Phytotaxa 509 (1): 001-055. https://phytotaxa.mapress.com/pt/article/view/phytotaxa.509.1.1

An-updated-checklist-and-quantitative-analysis-of-the-Marmarica-Plateau-flora-مضغوط

Al-Maqsabi, F. M. & Makhlouf, M. A. (2020) Vegetation cover in the Ain Mara region, Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar region – Libya. The Libyan Journal of Science (An International Journal): Volume 23, 2020. (In Arabic) https://uot.edu.ly/journals/index.php/ljs/article/view/122, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Farag-Elmokasabi-2

الغطاء النباتي في منطقة عين مارة بمنطقة الجبل الاخضر2020

Ali, A. M., Lashhab, S. R., Abu-Aweena, A. A.M. (2019) Classification of vegetation cover and its geographical distribution in the area extending between Al-Haniya and Wadi Zagzoog in the north to Lasastata and Bishtaya in the south. Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar eastern Libya. Issue (61) Journal of Science and Human Studies- Al-Marj-University of Benghazi-Libya (In Arabic). https://www.researchgate.net/profile/sd-lshhb, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339238955_tsnyf_alghta_alnbaty_wtwzyh_aljghrafy_fy_almntqt_almmtdt_ma_byn_alhnyt_wwady_alzqzwq_shmala_hty_lstath_wbshtaya_jnwba_aljbl_alakhdr_shrq_lybya

Ab-Aziza, F.B., El–Barasi, Y.M. and Rahil, R.O. (2017) Flora, Vegetation and Human Activities of Wadi Derna-El-Jabal. Research article I Botany l Version 1. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Fatma-Abuaziza, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yacoub-El-Barasi, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rebeh-Rahil

Flora, Vegetation and Human Activities of Wadi Derna. 2017

Abusaief, H. M. A. (2017) Similarities between elevations in a rare species of some locations at Al- Jabal Al-Akhdar in Libya. International Journal of Environment ISSN 2077-4505.Volume: 06 Issue: 03 July-Sept. 2017, Page: 78-102. http://www.curresweb.com/ije/ije/2017/78-102.pdf

Mukassabi, T.A., Thomas, P.A., ELMogasapi, A. (2017) Medicinal plants in Cyrenaica, Libya: existence and extinction. Biological Diversity and Conservation – 10/2 (2017) 183-192. https://eprints.keele.ac.uk/id/eprint/4064/

Medicinal plants in Cyrenaica, Libya 2017

Hegazy, A.; Kabiel, H.; AlRowaily, S.; Lovett-Doust,L. and AlBorki, A. (2016) Plant communities and reproductive phenology in mountainous regions of northern Libya. Journal of Forestry Research. July 2017, Volume 28, Issue 4, pp 741–761. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11676-016-0345-8, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ahmad-Hegazy-2

El-Mokasabi, F M. (2014) Floristic Composition and Traditional Uses of Plant Species at Wadi Al-kuf, Al-Jabal Al-Akhder, Libya. American-Eurasian J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 14 (8): 685-697, 2014, ISSN 1818-769,IDOSIPublications,2014DOI:10.5829/idosi.aejaes.2014.14.08.12375. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/441b/23b83960f007044aca94e26f5c6b170fe102.pdf

Plant Species at Wadi Alkuf, Al-Jabal Al-Akhder, Libya 2014

Al-Masalati, N. A. A. (2013) Plant diversity across the altitudes of the Msallata National Park Reserve Mountains. Master Thesis. Botany Department-College of Science-University of Benghazi-Libya. (In Arabic).

Hegazyi, A.K., Boulos, L., Kabiel, H.F. and Sharashy, O.S. (2011) Vegetaion and species altitudinal distribution in Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar landscape, Libya. Pak. J. Bot., 43(4): 1885-1898, 2011. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ahmad-Hegazy-2 https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hanan_Kabiel/publication/249011161_Vegetation_and_species_altitudinal_distribution_in_Al-Jabal_Al-Akhdar_landscape_Libya/links/58171d7c08ae90acb24128b9.pdf

VEGETATION AND SPECIES ALTITUDINAL DISTRIBUTION IN AL-JABAL AL-AKHDAR. 2011

El-Rabiai, G.T., Al tira, F.M., Lamlom, S.H. (2010) Preliminary Checklist for the Flora of Wadi El Ghattara in Libya. Garyounis University Press Journal of Science and Its Applications Vol. 4, No. 1, pp 39-47, December 2010. https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Wz8jpkIAAAAJ&hl=ar, https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ALTsoucAAAAJ&hl=en, https://journals.uob.edu.ly/index.php/sjuob/issue/view/71

Checklist for the Flora of Wadi El Ghattara in Libya. 2010

Mohammed, S.A.H. (2008) A taxonomic and ecological study of the plants of the Shaafin Reserve in Masalatah. Master Thesis. Department of Biology-Faculty of Arts and Sciences-Al-Mirqab University. Al-Khums. Libya. (In Arabic).

Abd Al-lkhaleq, Y. M. (2007) Vegetation Coverage of El-Bakur Highlands in Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar. Master Thesis, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Garyounis University, Libya. (In Arabic).

Nawras, A. M. B. (2007) A study of the vegetation cover in the Wadi (Valley) Stowah region. Master Thesis. Botany Department-Faculty of Science-Garyounis University-Libya. (In Arabic).

El-Barasi, Y. M., EI-Sherif, l. M. & Gawhari, A. M. H. (2003) Checklist and analysis of the flora and vegetation of Wadi Zaza at AI-Jabal AI Akhdar (Cyrenaica, Libya). Bocconea 16 (2): 1091-1105. 2003. – ISSN 1120-4060. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yacoub-El-Barasi, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ahmed-Gawhari, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281559070_Checklist_and_analysis_of_the_flora_and_vegetation_of_Wadi_Zaza_at_AI-Jabal_AI_Akhdar_Cyrenaica_Libya

Flora and vegetation of Wadi Zaza at Al-Jabal AI Akhdar 2003-مضغوط

El-Shaary M.S. (2002). The Natural Vegetation in Marmarica plateau (North-eastern Libya). First ed. Tobruk (Libya): Published by the local Authority. (In Arabic).