Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
genus Ephedra

genus Ephedra

9.7
A group of small evergreen shrubs that grow in dry, hot places
  • noun
  • /ˈdʒɛnəs ɪˈfɛdrə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : género Ephedra
  • The genus Ephedra includes species that thrive in arid environments.

Examples

  • Plants in the genus Ephedra are often used in traditional medicine.

  • Many gardeners choose varieties from the genus Ephedra for their drought resistance.

  • Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine are alkaloid derivatives from plants in the genus Ephedra (Wikipedia, 2005a).

    Academic text (2006)

Synonyms

ephedra
vsgenus Ephedra
  • Specialized
4 9.9

A desert shrub with thin jointed stems and tiny leaves people use in some herbal medicines

focuses on tropical and subtropical distribution and being the only member of its family

Surface Forms

genus Ephedra singular
genera Ephedra plural

Morphology

genus + ephedra

The phrase is fully compositional: 'genus' names a taxonomic rank and 'Ephedra' is the proper name of that plant group, so a learner who knows both constituents will understand it refers to the taxonomic group of Ephedra species. This is a literal, non-idiomatic naming pattern (common across languages), not a metaphorical or shifted sense.

Etymology

Genus Ephedra names a group of low, twiggy shrubs called Ephedra that grow in very dry places. Because people long ago used their stiff branches for medicine, the name now refers to that group of desert plants.