中文名（Chinese Name）：草麻黄
学名（Scientific Name）：Ephedra sinica Stapf
英文名（English Common Name）：Chinese ephedra
别名（Chinese Common Name）：麻黄、华麻黄
异名（Synonym）：Ephedra ma-huang Liu；Ephedra flava F.P.Sm.
科属（Family & Genus）：麻黄科（Ephedraceae）麻黄属
形态特征（Description）：草本状灌木，高20-40厘米；木质茎短或成匍匐状，小枝直伸或微曲，表面细纵槽纹常不明显，节间长2.5-5.5厘米，多为3-4厘米，径约2毫米。叶2裂，鞘占全长1/3-2/3，裂片锐三角形，先端急尖。雄球花多成复穗状，常具总梗，苞片通常4对，雄蕊7-8，花丝合生，稀先端稍分离；雌球花单生，在幼枝上顶生，在老枝上腋生，常在成熟过程中基部有梗抽出，使雌球花呈侧枝顶生状，卵圆形或矩圆状卵圆形，苞片4对，下部3对合生部分占1/4-1/3,最上一对合生部分达1/2以上；雌花2,胚珠的珠被管长l毫米或稍长，直立或先端微弯，管口隙裂窄长，约占全长的1/4-1/2,裂口边缘不整齐，常被少数毛茸。雌球花成熟时肉质红色，矩圆状卵圆形或近于圆球形，长约8毫米，径6-7毫米；种子通常2粒，包于苞片内，不露出或与苞片等长，黑红色或、灰褐色，三角状卵圆形或宽卵圆形，长5-6毫米，径2.5-3.5毫米，表面具细皱纹，种脐明显，半圆形。花期5-6月，种子8-9月成熟。
分布（Distribution）：产于辽宁、吉林、内蒙古、河北、山西、河南西北部及陕西等省区。适应性强，习见于山坡、平原、干燥荒地、河床及草原等处，常组成大面积的单纯群落。蒙古也有分布。
用途（Use）：为重要的药用植物，生物碱含量丰富，仅次于木贼麻黄。木质茎少，易加工提炼；由于常生于平原、山坡、河床、草原等处，故易于采收，因此在药用上所用的数量往往较木贼麻黄为多，为我国提制麻黄碱的主要植物。
引自中国植物志英文版FOC Vol. 4
Ephedra sinica Stapf, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew. 1927: 133. 1927.
草麻黄 cao ma huang | Ephedraceae  | Ephedra
Ephedra ma-huang Liu.
Subshrubs small, to 40 cm, sparsely branched; woody stems short or prostrate; branchlets straight or curved, sometimes slightly involute, internodes (2.5-)3-4(-5.5) cm × ca. 2 mm, shallowly furrowed. Leaves opposite, connate for 1/3-2/3 their length, free part subulate to narrowly triangular, to 5 mm, apex sharply pointed. Pollen cones sessile or pedunculate, solitary or in clusters at nodes, rarely terminal; bracts in 4 pairs, margin very narrow, membranous, apex obtuse or subacute; anthers 7 or 8, sessile or shortly stipitate. Seed cones terminal or axillary, solitary, oblong-ovoid or subglobose, ca. 8 × 6-7 mm at maturity; bracts in 4 pairs, connate for 1/2-3/4 their length, red and fleshy at maturity; integument tube 1-2 mm, straight or slightly curved. Seeds usually 2, black-red or grayish brown, concealed by or equaling bracts. Pollination May-Jun, seed maturity Aug-Sep. 2n = 28*.
Waste and sandy places, plains, mountain slopes; 700-1600 m. Gansu, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shanxi [Mongolia]
It seems likely that Ephedra sinica var. pumila Florin, Kongl. Svenska Vetenskapsakad. Handl., ser. 3, 12: 11. 1933, will also be found in China. It differs from var. sinica in its very low growth habit, often curved or involute branches, shorter nodes, and seed cones with only 2 or 3 pairs of bracts. The most appropriate taxonomic rank for this taxon is uncertain.
This species has medicinal properties.
（责任编辑：徐晔春）