Seasonal trends in energy content and storage substances in the mediterranean shrub Ephedra

Abstract

Green branches of a shrub of Ephedra distachya L., growing in Athens, Greece, were investigated. The crude fibre content rises during the late growth period, levels off during winter, then declines as new shoots emerge in spring. The content of soluble sugars and of starch is high during winter, but rather low during the dry season. The content of total lipids rises during winter, especially during the late growth period until June and declines during the drought period. During the winter months in the total saponifiable lipids the percentage of linoleic and linolenic acids is high; however, during the growth and the drought period the content of palmitic acid is rather high. The contents of total nitrogen and protein nitrogen decrease in late spring and remain low until the end of the summer drought. Thereafter, both values rise markedly. Stored energy is lowest at the end of the summer drought period. The ashfree calorific values vary little throughout the year (but the difference is significant) : the highest value is obtained in November (19782 J/g), the lowest in May (19298 J/g). From our data, the tissue.construction cost was estimated to be 1.41-1.47 g glucose/g dry weigth. Ephedra distachya is suited to the mediterranean climate, as seen by its ability to adjust to climatic changes during the year while undergoing periods of growth and quiescence. The accumulation of sugar during the winter months suggests that Ephedra is also capable of growing under cold-stress conditions.