Big grass bandit

Big grass bandit

FructusAlpiniaeZerumbet

Beautiful galangal fruit

[alias] Amomum villosum and pseudoamomum villosum.

[source] it is the fruit of Alpinia officinalis.

[plant morphology] many herbaceous plants, 2-3m high, lanceolate leaves, 30-60 long, 5-10 wide, apex acuminate with a small tip of Qiang curl, 0.5-1.0cm long, outer quilt hair. Panicle raceme type, drooping, 30 cm long; bracts white, top and base pink; calyx aibaoxing, white, apex pink; corolla tube shorter than calyx, lobes oblong. Its length is about 3cm, milky white, apex pink; labellum spatulate, broadly ovate, diameter about 2cm, sparsely hirsute, with exposed stripes, apex often crowned with persistent calyx, red at maturity. The flowering period is from April to June and the fruiting period is from July to October.

Born in the shade of trees. It is mainly produced in Fujian and Guangdong.

[picking] the fruits are picked when they are ripe and dried in the sun or at low temperature.

[traits] the capsule is oval, ovoid or olive shaped, 1.5-3cm in length and 1-2cm in diameter; it is yellowish brown or reddish brown, protruding at both ends, slightly pointed, thick skin without spines, protruding longitudinal ridges, brown cracking, exposing seeds. The seeds are irregular polyhedral, grayish brown or tan, and covered with white aril. The quality of stem. The taste is pungent.

[chemical constituents] it contains palmitic acid, cineole, pinene, caryophyllene, Alpinetin, cardamonin, borneol, methyl cinnamate, etc.

[flavor] warm, pungent and astringent.

Main indications: dryness, warming, dispelling cold, eliminating phlegm and malaria, strengthening spleen and warming stomach. It is used for cold and pain of heart and abdomen, distension of chest and abdomen, intermittent accumulation of phlegm, dyspepsia, vomiting and diarrhea.