Yu Liren Ou Li

Yu Liren -- Ou Li

SemenPruniHumilis

Chinese dwarf cherry seed

[alias] shanmeizi and xiaoliren.

[source] seeds of Prunus Humilis Bunge, a Rosaceae plant.

[plant morphology] deciduous shrub, 1-1.5m high. Bark grayish brown, branchlets pilose. Leaves alternate, oblong or elliptic lanceolate, 2.5-5cm long, 1-2cm wide, apex pointed, margin shallowly serrate, below scattered pubescence along the main vein; stipules linear, caducous. Flowers and leaves open at the same time, solitary or 2-flowered, pedicel sparsely pubescent; sepals 5, reflexed after anthesis; petals 5, white or pink; stamens numerous; carpel 1. The stone fruit is nearly spherical, about 1.5cm in diameter, and it is bright red when ripe. The flowering period is April to May and the fruiting period is May to June.

It grows on barren mountain slope or sand mound. It is mainly produced in Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Hebei and Shandong.

[harvest] harvest the ripe fruits in summer and autumn, remove the flesh and core, take out the seeds and dry them.

[character] the seed is ovoid, 5-8mm long and 3-5mm in diameter. The surface is yellow white or light brown, one end is pointed, the other end is blunt and round. There is a linear hilum on one side of the tip, a dark chalazal point in the center of the round end, and a number of longitudinal vascular bundle veins upward from the chalazal point. Seed coat thin, cotyledons milky white, rich in oil. It tastes slightly bitter.

[chemical constituents] it contains amygdalin, fatty oil, saponin, etc.

[nature and taste] it is mild in nature, pungent, bitter and sweet in taste.

[indications] moisten dryness, smooth intestines, lower Qi and promote diuresis. It is used for dry bowels, food accumulation and qi stagnation, abdominal distension and constipation, edema, beriberi and adverse urination.

[note] the seeds of P. japonica Thunb. Or P. tomentosa Thunb. Are also used as medicine.