Taxonomic history
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Ephedra distachya in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 1040 of Ray Society 1957 facsimile.
Today: The current name for this species is Ephedra distachya L.
original Latin diagnosis
Ephedra pedunculis oppositis, amentis geminis.
English translation
Ephedra with peduncles opposite; [and] with aments paired.
| Ephedra | Ephedra |
| with peduncles | pedunculis - ablative plural of second declension masculine noun pedunculus, -i |
| opposite; | oppositis - ablative plural masculine of perfect passive participle of third conjugation verb oppono, opponere, opposui, oppositum; modifies pedunculis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| with aments | amentis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun amentum, -i |
| paired. | geminis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective geminus, -a, -um; modifies amentis |