The Chinese herbal medicine, Baiducao, refers to the rhizome or whole plant of the gymnosperm Earleaf Goldthread (Coptis teeta), which is bitter and cold in nature. It is used to treat wind-heat toxins, itching, eczema, and abnormal vaginal discharge. Let's take a look at its growth environment and plant morphology!
Morphology of Baiducao
The plant is 8-22cm tall. The rhizome grows horizontally and is densely covered with rusty-red, linear-lanceolate scales and white soft hairs at the base of the petiole.
The leaves are clustered; the petiole is wire-like, hard, 5-10cm long, chestnut-colored, and densely covered with light brown long hairs from the base upwards.
The leaf blade is thick and papery, lanceolate, 5-15cm long, 1.5-4cm wide, with large pinnules at the apex, up to 3cm long, pinnately lobed.
There are 3-11 pairs of pinnules, alternate, ovate or elongated-ovate, with a heart-shaped base, asymmetric, sometimes with small ear-like projections, blunt at the apex, short-stalked at the base, entire margins, dark green on the surface, sparsely covered with soft hairs, and densely covered with rusty-colored hairs on the back.
Sporocarps are linear, borne on both sides of the lateral veins, hidden among the hairs; no sporocarp cover.
Habitat and Distribution of Baiducao
1. Ecological Environment
It grows on dry rocks on slopes at an altitude of 900-2000m.
2. Resource Distribution
It is distributed in the Northeast, North China, Northwest, Southwest, Shandong, Henan, Hubei, and other regions.
