Red root

Red root

(Yunnan Chinese herbal medicine)

Another name: changchong Baogu, xiaodujiaolian and jianxuefei.

[source] it is the tuber of red root of Araceae.

[plant morphology] red root

Perennial herb, 0.5-1.2 m high. Tuber hypertrophy, cylindrical or cone-shaped, outer skin ring, dark purple brown inside, with thick fibrous roots. The stem is erect and smooth, some with pink, purplish brown or yellow green pattern, the shape is like a snake, the basal bract sheath is persistent; the stem has short sheath and 2 (or 1) compound leaves with long stalk; the compound leaves have 3 leaflets, the leaflets are 7-26 cm long and 4-17 cm wide, elliptic or ovate, the base is symmetrical or skewed, the apex is short pointed or acuminate, the middle vein on the back of the leaf is raised with veins, and the whole margin is shallow wavy or with dots The teeth are shallow. The inflorescence is terminal, the flower is fine and dense, the spike has many kinds of elongated linear appendages protruding; the spathe is green and ornamented, the lower part is connate, the upper part is expanded, wavy and tapered, 5-10 cm long. Ear like corn cob, 7-15 cm long, berry like corn big, first green, then gradually red.

It grows in dense forests, shrubs and ditches in the humid and dark limestone mountains. It is distributed in Yunnan and other places.

[collection] all year round. Fresh or sun dried.

[flavor] spicy, cold and highly toxic.

Functions and indications: clearing away heat, eliminating inflammation and removing pus. Treatment of ulcers, carbuncle, nameless swelling, mumps, mastitis.

Usage: the dosage of tamping and external application.

[avoid] do not use it if the skin is broken.