White lentils

SemenDolichorisAlbum

White hyacinth bean

[alias] emeidou, tengdou, Yangyan Dou, roudou.

[source] seeds of Dolichos lablab L.

[nature and taste] it is mild in nature and sweet in taste.

Functions and indications: Invigorating the spleen and removing dampness, harmonizing heat and eliminating heat. It is used for weakness of spleen and stomach, loss of appetite, loose diarrhea, excessive leucorrhea, heat dampness vomiting and diarrhea, chest tightness and abdominal distension.

[plant morphology] annual twining herb. The lateral leaflets are obliquely rhomboid and broadly ovate, 6-11cm in length and 4.5-10.5cm in width. The apex is short pointed or acuminate, and there are white pubescence on both sides along the vein. Raceme axillary, 2-4 flowers clustered on nodes of inflorescence axis. The Corolla is white or purplish red; the ovary has silky hairs, the base has glands, and the style has white beard near the top. The pods are flat, falcate or semielliptic, 5-7cm long, with 3-5 seeds, white or purple black. The flowering and fruiting period is from July to October.

It is cultivated in different places.

[harvest] from September to October, the ripe fruits are picked, dried and the seeds are collected; they are used raw or slightly fried.

[character] the seed is oblate oval or oblate ovoid, 0.8-1.3cm long, 0.6-0.9cm wide and 0.7cm thick. The surface is light amaranth white or light yellow, smooth and slightly glossy, and there are white meniscus caruncle on one side edge. The seed coat is thin and brittle, cotyledons are 2, thick and yellowish white. It's weak in breath, light in taste and beany in chewing.

[chemical composition]

It contains protein, sucrose, glucose, sugar, stachyose, raffinose, l-pipecolic acid, phytoagglutinin and so on.