Star anise

Star anise

(records of Sichuan Traditional Chinese Medicine)

[alias] Tu Da Xiang.

[source] it is the fruit of red fennel or Yunnan fennel.

[plant morphology] 1

Evergreen shrubs or small trees, up to 7 meters high. The trunk is gray and the young branches are green. Single leaf alternate, leathery, elliptic lanceolate or oblong lanceolate, 11-17 cm long, 2.5-5 cm wide, apex pointed caudate or acute, base cuneate, entire, leaf dark green, back light green; petiole 2 cm long. Flowers axillary, pedicel 2-3 cm long, base with a pair of bracteoles; sepals 3, triangular ovate, small, light green, often red; petals red, broad ovate or oblong ovate, a total of 18 petals, several rounds, the more inside the shape of the smaller; stamens many; carpels many, generally 8-13. Follicles stellate arrangement, woody, purple brown, apex beak prominent, slightly curved, stellate body about 2.5-3 cm in diameter. Seeds reniform, hard, glossy, yellow or olive brown. The flowering period is May. The fruit ripens in September.

Born in mountains and dense forests. It is distributed in Hubei, Sichuan and Guizhou.

② Yunnan fennel

The flowers are nearly white, perianth has no sepals and petals, stamens are apical, and cyanine pods are longer and larger than those of the upper species. Born in mountain forest.

[collection] from October to November, the fruit stalks and branches were removed and dried in the sun.

[medicinal material] the dried fruit is composed of about 10-13 starlike fruits, which are attached on the same axis and have a short fruit stalk below, but most of them fall off. The fruit is broad lanceolate, with the end bent into hawk claw shape, about 1-1.8 cm in length, 6-8 mm in width and 2-4 mm in thickness. It splits on the top, exposing one seed. The outer surface of the fruit is brown, wrinkled, and the inner surface is yellowish brown, smooth and glossy. Seeds oblate ovoid, about 6 mm long, surface brown yellow, bright, flat cut one end of the navel, the other end of the chalazal point, the edge of one side of a narrow ridge; seed cortex crisp, white kernel. It is fragrant, sweet and spicy. It is better to be big, full, bright and fragrant.

Produced in Sichuan.

[nature and taste] it is warm, sweet and non-toxic.

[function indications] it can relieve nausea, promote qi and relieve pain. For stomach cold, vomiting, bladder hernia and chest pain.

[usage and dosage] oral: decoction, 2-3 yuan.

[should avoid] it is forbidden for those with Yin deficiency and internal heat.

[prescription selection] ① for stomach cold, vomit: star anise, cardamom, Aucklandia, clove, fried.

② Treatment of bladder hernia: star anise, Trigonella, Aconitum, Euphorbia, toosendan, Evodia, fried.