Baihuaguo

Baihuaguo

(common folk herbs in Kunming)

[synonym] ganhong and hongguoshu.

[source] the leaves, flowers and fruits of Camelliaceae.

[plant morphology] houpi Xiang

Small trees or shrubs, 3-8 m high. Branchlets stout, cylindrical, glabrous. Leaves simple, alternate, leathery, oblong obovate, 5-10 cm long and 2.5-5 cm wide, apex obtuse or mucronate, base cuneate, entire, glabrous, smooth, midrib sunken above leaves; petiole 1.5 cm long. Flowers bisexual, pale yellow, 1.8 cm in diameter, fragrant, axillary or clustered, apex of branchlets; pedicel 1-1.5 cm long, slightly pendulous; bracts 2, ovate triangular; sepals and petals 5 each, base connate; stamens numerous; ovary 2-3-locular, stigma apex 3-lobed. The fruit is dry berry shaped, 1.2-1.5 cm in diameter, with persistent sepals. Seeds nearly ovate, very hard, red. The flowering period is from July to August.

Born in the wild, woodland, roadside. Distributed in Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian and other places.

[collection] leaves can be harvested all year round; fruits can be harvested at maturity.

Bitter and cool; flowers and fruits have little poison.

[functions and indications] smashing external application can treat big sores, carbuncles, and mastitis; flower: rubbing and rubbing tinea can relieve itching and pain.