Jincao

Jincao

This data is reviewed by the project of data compilation and application of Science Encyclopedia of science popularization in China.

Jincao (scientific name: HED) yotisacutangulaChamp.exBenth (Rubiaceae, Eupatorium). Also known as pig powder grass, sweet tea, three twist grass, square bone grass. Leaves opposite, subsessile, lanceolate, 5-12 cm long, acuminate, sharply pointed, veins indistinct, smooth on both sides; stipules triangular, base connate, 3-5 mm long, upper entire or denticulate. Cymes terminal, often arranged in panicles or corymbs; branches ribbed or winged, with small bracts broadly spreading; flowers 4-numbered, sessile; calyx tube gyrate.

morphological character

Herbs erect, glabrous, usually subshrub, 25-60 cm tall, base woody; stems square columnar, 4-angled or winged. Leaves opposite, sessile or subsessile, leathery, ovate lanceolate or lanceolate, 5-12 cm long, 1.5-2.5 cm wide, apically mucronate or shortly acuminate, base rounded or cuneate; midrib conspicuous, lateral veins and reticular veins not conspicuous; stipules ovate or triangular, 3-5 mm long, often reflexed after stem, entire or glandular dentate. Cymes arranged in panicles or corymbs, terminal, branched with ribs or wings; bracts lanceolate, widely spreading; flowers 4-numbered, white, sessile, calyx tube gyrate, ca. 1 mm long, calyx eaves lobes ovate, shorter than calyx tube; corolla about 5 mm long, corolla 2.2-3 mm long, throat slightly enlarged, tomentose above middle; corolla lobes ovate lanceolate, slightly shorter than tube Stamens in the throat of corolla, enclosed, without filaments or very short filaments, anthers linear oblong, both ends truncated; style nearly as long as corolla, powdery pilose, stigma 2-lobed, lobes nearly elliptic, rough. Capsule obovate, 2-2.5 mm long, 1-1.2 mm in diameter, flat or slightly convex at the top, persistent calyx eaves lobes about 0.5 mm long, dehiscent into 2 segments at maturity, with several seeds in the abdomen; seeds suborbicular, angulate, black after drying. The flowering period is from May to August.

Growth environment

It grows on hillside and thicket.

Distribution range

In Guangdong, Hainan, Hong Kong, Guangxi, born in hillside, thicket. It is found in Guangdong, Hainan and Hong Kong; it is found on low altitude hillside or open field. This species is very common in Guangdong and Hong Kong, but only in Wanning County, Hainan Province. Foreign countries are distributed in Vietnam. Type specimens from Hong Kong.

The difference between the two species

desmodium triflorum

Subshrub herbaceous or subshrub, up to 1m high. The root is well developed, hard and tough. Stem erect, angulate, with coarse hairs on the edge. The leaves are oblong ovate, 6-15 cm long and 1.2-3.5 cm wide, with broad winged stipes at the bottom, 2 large stipules at the base of the stipe and 2 spiny small stipules at the top of the wing. Raceme axillary or terminal, up to 35 cm; calyx campanulate; butterfly shaped corolla purplish red, flag petal oblate. Pods flat or rectangular round, with 5-8 pod nodes, each node has a seed, born in wasteland or hillside forest edge. Distributed in Guizhou, Jiangxi, Fujian, Taiwan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan and other places.

Eupatorium japonicum

Plant erect, slender, up to 15-30 cm. The lower leaves are opposite and the upper leaves are whorled. Flowers tubular, corolla lip shaped, 5-11 mm in diameter, calyx 10 ridges, flowers brick red or slightly yellow red, white, with grass yellow center and yellow lower edge. Seed small, not more than 0.25 mm, brown, striped, born in the pod and capsule, a plant can produce 5 million seeds.

chemical composition

The stems and leaves contain arborinone, isoarborinol, genmaniol, taraxerol, eryhrodiol, 12-oleanol-3% 26beta; 28,29-triol, oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, stigmasterol and sitosterol M. The root contains hedyotine. The rhizome contains auricularine.