中文名（Chinese Name）：中麻黄
学名（Scientific Name）：Ephedra intermedia Schrenk ex Mey.
英文名（English Common Name）：
别名（Chinese Common Name）：甘肃麻黄
异名（Synonym）：Ephedra intermedia var. tibetica Stapf；Ephedra valida V. V. Nikitin；Ephedra glauca Regel；Ephedra microsperma V. V. Nikitin；Ephedra intermedia var. glauca Stapf；Ephedra ferganensis V. V. Nikitin；Ephedra tesquorum V. V. Nikitin；Ephedra tibetica (Stapf) V. V. Nikitin；Ephedra persica (Stapf) V. V. Nikitin；Ephedra intermedia var. schrenkii Stapf；Ephedra intermedia var. persica Stapf；Ephedra alata var. decaisnei Stapf；Ephedra vulgaris var. submonostachys Boiss. & Buhse 
科属（Family & Genus）：麻黄科（Ephedraceae）麻黄属
形态特征（Description）：灌木，高20-100厘米；茎直立或匍匐斜上，粗壮，基部分枝多; 绿色小枝常被白粉呈灰绿色，径1-2毫米，节间通常长3-6厘米，纵槽纹较细浅。叶3裂及2裂混见，下部约2/3合生成鞘状，上部裂片钝三角形或窄三角披针形。雄球花通常无梗，数个密集于节上成团状，稀2-3个对生或轮生于节上，具5-7对交叉对生或5-7轮（每轮3片）苞片，雄花有5-8枚雄蕊，花丝全部合生，花药无梗；雌球花2-3成簇，对生或轮生于节上，无梗或有短梗，苞片3-5轮（每轮3片）或3-5对交叉对生，通常仅基部合生，边缘常有明显膜质窄边，最上一轮苞片有2-3雌花；雌花的珠被管长达3毫米，常成螺旋状弯曲。雌球花成熟时肉质红色，椭圆形、卵圆形或矩圆状卵圆形，长6-10毫米，径5-8毫米；种子包于肉质红色的苞片内，不外露，3粒或2粒，形状变异颇大，常呈卵圆形或长卵圆形，长5-6毫米，径约3毫米。花期5-6月，种子7-8月成熟。
分布（Distribution）：为我国分布最广的麻黄之一, 产于辽宁、河北、山东、内蒙古、山西、陕西、甘肃、青海及新疆等省区，以西北各省区最为常见。抗旱性强，生于海拔数百米至2000多米的干旱荒漠、沙滩地区及干旱的山坡或草地上。阿富汗、伊朗和苏联也有分布。
用途（Use）：供药用，惟生物碱含量较木贼麻黄和草麻黄为少。肉质多汁的苞片可食，根和茎枝在产地常作燃料。
引自中国植物志英文版FOC Vol. 4
Ephedra intermedia Schrenk ex C. A. Meyer, Mém. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint-Pétersbourg, Sér. 6, Sci. Math., Seconde Pt. Sci. Nat. Sci. Nat. 5: 278 [Vers. Monogr. Gatt. Ephedra 88]. 1846.
中麻黄 zhong ma huang | Ephedraceae  | Ephedra
 Ephedra intermedia
Credit: Harvard University Herbaria
Ephedra ferganensis V. Nikitin; E. glauca Regel; E. intermedia var. glauca (Regel) Stapf; E. intermedia var. persica Stapf; E. intermedia var. schrenkii Stapf; E. intermedia var. tibetica Stapf; E. microsperma V. Nikitin; E. persica (Stapf) V. Nikitin; E. tesquorum V. Nikitin; E. tibetica (Stapf) V. Nikitin; E. valida V. Nikitin.
Subshrubs or shrubs to 1 m, densely branched, sometimes with creeping stem producing single, erect, green primary branches; branchlets yellowish or bluish green, often pruinose, internodes usually 2-6 cm × 1.5-3.5 mm. Leaves in whorls of 3 or opposite, connate for at least 2/3 their length. Pollen cones usually clustered at nodes, often sessile; bracts in 3 or 4 pairs or whorls; anthers 5-8, sessile or shortly stipitate. Seed cones ellipsoid, ovoid, or oblong-ovoid; bracts in 2-5 pairs or whorls, outer ones connate at base, apical pair or whorl connate for ca. 1/2 their length, margins membranous, globose, red, and fleshy at maturity; integument tube long, 3-5 mm, usually spirally twisted. Seeds 2 or 3, ovoid or elongate-ovoid, 5-6 × ca. 3 mm, concealed by bracts. Pollination May-Jun, seed maturity Jul-Aug. 2n = 14*, 28*.
Grasslands, deserts, river valleys, floodlands, sandy beaches, cliffs, other dry, sandy or rocky places; (100-)800-4600 m. Gansu, Hebei, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Xinjiang, Xizang [Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan; SW Asia]
The character states distinguishing var. glauca and var. tibetica from typical Ephedra intermedia may all be observed together in a single population; the species is therefore not divided here.
This species has medicinal properties.
（责任编辑：徐晔春）