Parasitic yellow

Parasitic yellow

(Guizhou herbal medicine)

[source] it is the whole plant of ophiurotus cylindracea.

[plant morphology] ophiurotus cylindraceus

Perennial parasitic fleshy herbs, without chlorophyll, 5-15 cm high. The rhizome is thick, subglobose, yellowish brown, with light verruca on the surface. The flower stems are red or yellowish, with an involucrate sheath in the middle; the sheath is tubular, slightly swollen at the upper part, 3-5-lobed, 1.5-2.5 cm long; the flowers are unisexual, monoecious or dioecious, forming terminal spikes; the bisexual spikes are elliptic or spherical, sometimes subovate, 1.4-2.2 cm long, 1-1.7 cm in diameter; the male flowers are at the base of the spikes, and the others are dense female flowers and obovate bracteoles Androgynous spikes are rare; male flowers are pedunculated with 2-6 perianth segments; stamens and perianth segments are the same number, filaments form a cylinder, anthers gather; female flowers have no perianth; ovary is petiolate, style is slender.

Parasitic on the roots of woody plants in the forest. It is distributed in Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Hubei and southern Shaanxi.

[collection] harvest in autumn.

[flavor] pungent, flat.

Functions and indications: regulating qi and strengthening stomach, clearing heat and dampness, detoxifying. Treatment of Stomach Qi pain, jaundice, hemorrhoids.

[usage and dosage] take orally: decoct soup, 3-5 yuan; or stew pig large intestine.