Ephedra laristanica

Assadi

Common names

Taxonomic notes

Rydin and Korall (2009), in the only molecular study yet performed on E. laristanica, found it nested within E. foliata. It occurs within the range of E. foliata and the descriptions match, though I haven't been able to locate a highly detailed description of E. foliata. Given that E. laristanica doesn't seem to have been collected since 1996, and there have only been four collections, its status as a species or even as a distinct taxon is doubtful.

Description

Dioecious woody shrubs to 1 m tall, erect. Bark dark gray. Twigs 1.5-2.5 mm in diameter, green or yellow green, opposite. Leaves scale-like, 2, connate for the most part. Pollen cones sessile, up to 10 at each node, verticillate, 4-5 mm long; scales 6-7 pairs, 2-3 mm long, orbicular, rounded or retuse at the apex. Sporangiophores 3(-4), c. 3 mm long, exserted from the scales. Seed cones verticillate, 8-9 mm long, up to 8 at each node, sessile or pedunculate; peduncles up to 4 mm long; scales 2-3 pairs, ciliate at the margin, orbicular, innermost connate up to 1/3 of their length. Seeds 2, ca. 8 mm long, lanceolate in outline. Micropyle 0.3 mm long, straight. In general habit E. laristanica resembles E. pachyclada, but differs in the following characters: branches glabrous (vs. hairy), yellow-green (vs. gray), sporangiophores 3 (vs. 8), seeds 2 (vs. 1), micropyle c. 0.3 mm long (vs. 1.5 mm). E. laristanica also resembles E. foliata, but differs in the following characters: erect habit (not ascending), scale-like leaves (not foliaceous), sessile male and female cones (not pedunculate); uppermost scales of the fruits connate up to 1/3 and cover half of the seeds (not connate up to the apex and not covering the whole seeds) (Assadi 1996).

Distribution and Ecology

Iran: So far, only described from Province Fars, at elevations of 400-1200 m in dry wadi beds and on rocky slopes (Assadi 1996, Bell and Bachman 2011).

The "least concern" conservation assessment appears unwarranted. As best I can determine, there have been a total of 4 collections of this species, all from a very limited area in Iran, and none since the species was described. It should be assessed as "data deficient".

Remarkable Specimens

No data as of 2023.03.03.

Ethnobotany

Observations

See the observations on iNaturalist, accessed 2021.12.30.

Remarks

The epithet refers to the type locality, Larestan County, located in Fars Province in southern Iran.

Citations

Assadi, M. 1996. A new species of Ephedra L. and reports of two new or interesting grasses from Iran. Iranian Journal of Botany 7:2. Available: DOI 10.22092/ijb.2015.103321, accessed 2021.12.31.

Bell, A. and S. Bachman. 2011. Ephedra laristanica. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/201667/9160232, accessed 2021.12.30.

Rydin, C., and P. Korall. 2009. Evolutionary relationships in Ephedra (Gnetales), with implications for seed plant phylogeny. International Journal of Plant Sciences 170(8):1031–1043. doi:10.1086/605116.

See also

Species profile at Plants of the World Online, accessed 2021.12.30.