EphedraceaeLC · Least Concern
Ephedra altissima
Ephedra altissima
Ephedra altissima is a species of Ephedra that is native to the western Sahara (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Chad, Mauritania), and also to the Canary Islands. The species is cultivated as an ornamental plant and medicinal plant.
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Ephedra altissima 180208477Ephedra altissima — Leonora Enking 001
01-14-12-12 Ephedra altissimaEphedra altissima — Leonora Enking 001
T3 06 Ephedra altissima par Pierre-Joseph Redouté
Ephedra altissima 289678371Ephedra altissima 180208477Ephedra altissima — Leonora Enking 0011 / 6
Overview
Ephedra altissima is a plant species in the family Ephedraceae. GBIF holds 845 occurrence records across 18 countries. Its records concentrate in Morocco, France, Algeria, Tunisia. It is listed as "least concern" on the IUCN Red List.
Distribution & origin
Share of recorded occurrences by region- Morocco21%
- France14%
- Algeria12%
- Tunisia4%
- Spain3%
- United States1%
- Italy1%
- Other regions44%
Uses
- The members of this genus have alkaloid ephedrine which are integral in the treatment of asthma and other related respiratory issues.
- By using the entire plant and not just the stem it has been observed, as compared to isolated ephedrine, to have few side effects.
- This is used to treat symptoms not cure respiratory issues.
Habitat & conservation
This plant is located in Algeria, Chad, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Spain, Tunisia, and the western Sahara. It can be viewed at elevations between 10 meters to 700 meters above sea level.
References
- 1Ephedra altissima — Wikipedia — Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), 2026
- 2Ephedra altissima - Desf. — pfaf.org,
- 3GBIF — occurrence records of Ephedra altissima — GBIF, 2026
- 4IUCN Red List — Ephedra altissima — IUCN, 2024
- 5Hình ảnh — Wikimedia Commons (6 ảnh, giấy phép CC/PD) — Wikimedia Commons, 2026