Ephedra, which is included in the rich flora of Keshikchidagh caves complex, is a shrub belonging to the genus barefoot. There are 4 wild species in our country. This very rare plant grows mainly in rocky areas. As the territory of Keshikchidagh is also a steep rock, it is found here and is a minority.
The fruit contains vitamin C, ephedrine and pseudoephedrine alkaloids. Therefore, it tastes bitter. When frost strikes, the fruit becomes sweet and edible. Ephedrine is obtained from the young shoots of some species.
Reaching a height of 1.5 m, this shrub has a gray trunk, dense and densely branched. The branches are straight, slender, with smooth joints and thin grooves, up to 2 mm in diameter. The leaves are arranged in pairs, veiled, the lower third is joined, the upper is a short triangle.
The fruits are spherical, 6-7 mm long. Ripe fruits are red or pinkish-red, fleshy.
It blooms in April-May. The fruits ripen in August.
