A numerical analysis of <i>Ephedra</i> L. based on reproductive features

Abstract

A numerical analysis of Ephedra L. was conducted based on 29 characters of reproductive organs. The results indicate that species are not grouped according to their geographic ranges, sect. Alatae is in one group, sect. IntroductionPhylogeny of Ephedra L. has not been well resolved. Traditionally, botanists use one or few morphological characters to subdivide the genus into sections or groups. Meyer (1846) grouped 20 species of Ephedra known at that time into two sections, namely Ephedra sect. Discostoma and Ephedra sect. Plagiostoma. Subsequent botanists paid no attention to this classification because Meyer's subdivision does not mirror the interspecific relationships. Stapf (1889) classified the genus into 3 sections, viz. sect. Alatae, sect. Asarca, sect. Pseudobaccatae (= sect. Ephedra), and 7 "Tribus" (= subsection or series), viz. Tropidolepides, Habrolepides, Asarca, Scandentes, Pachycladae, Leptocladae and Antisyphiliticae based on both reproductive and vegetative morphology. Soskov (1968) believed that smooth branchlets are correlated with uniovulate cones while rough branchlets are correlated with biovulate cones, and proposed thereby two new evolutionary lines of Ephedra and established two new subsections, namely Ephedra subsect. Glabrae Soskov (including Ephedra equisetina Bunge, E. procera C. A. Meyer, E. monosperma Gmel. ex C. A. Meyer, E. gerardiana Wall. ex Stapf, and E. fedtschenkoae Paulsen) and Ephedra subsect. Scabrae Soskov (including E. intermedia Schrenk ex C. A. Meyer, E. tesquorum Nikitin, E. sinica Stapf, E. distachya L., E. regeliana Florin, and E. minuta Florin). At the same time, Soskov (1968) recombined "Tribus Scandentes Stapf" (= E. subsect. Scandentes) into subsect. Scandentes (Stapf) Soskov. Pachomova (1969Pachomova ( , 1971 argued that roughness of branchlets is not correlated with the seed number of a female cone, and rejected Soskov's two new subsections (E. subsect. Glabrae Soskov and E. subsect. Scabrae Soskov), but those species with scrambling habits within E. sect. Ephedra were segregated into a new section (E. sect. Scandentes) and those with frequent uniovulate cones were ascribed into a new section (E. sect. Monospermae).

Soil Quality Enhances Seed Germination Success in Ephedra major—A Pilot Experiment

“…The older name Ephedra nebrodensis is generally considered a synonym of Ephedra major [ 5 , 6 , 7 ], but there are recent proposals for maintaining the former name [ 8 , 9 ]. Moreover, the taxonomic and phylogenetic position of the Ephedra species is still under debate [ 10 ].…”