【The Difference in Morphological Characteristics between Wuxiang Vine and Wuxiang Blood Vine】
Wuxiang Vine:
Evergreen climbing shrub. The main root is thick and cylindrical. Leaves are alternate, subleathery, ovoid-lanceolate to elongated oval, 5-15 cm long, gradually pointed at the apex, bluntly rounded at the base, with sparse fine serrations or nearly entire margins. Flowers are unisexual, axillary, 1-2 per axil, bracts narrow and triangular, about 1 mm long and wide; outermost 3-5 perianth segments small and triangular to nearly kidney-shaped, with marginal hairs, inner 5 segments purple-red, elliptic to ovate; stamens nearly spherical. The fruit turns bright red when ripe. Blooms in summer.
Wuxiang Blood Vine:
Deciduous woody vine, entire plant is hairless, with sparse fine pubescence on the back veins of the leaves. Winter buds and bud scales have long marginal hairs, without hard points at the apex. Small branches are reddish-brown, either short or elongated, with prominent lenticels. Leaves are papery, inverted ovoid, wide inverted ovoid, or inverted ovoid-elongated oval, sometimes circular, rarely elliptic, (3)5-11 cm long, (1.5)3-7 cm wide, with short and sharply pointed or gradually pointed apex, wedge-shaped or broadly wedge-shaped base, dry membranous margins becoming narrow wings along the petiole, dark green on the upper surface, pale grayish-green on the lower surface, with white dots, with loosely arranged, callus-like teeth on 1/2-2/3 of the margin, slightly concave midvein on the upper surface, 4-5 lateral veins on each side, dense reticulate veins, not prominently raised on both surfaces when dry; petiole is red, 1-3 cm long. Flowers occur near the base of the leaf axils, pedicels slender, 2-4.5 cm long, with a 3-4 mm membranous bract at the base, 5-9 perianth segments, orange-yellow, nearly similar, elliptic or long elliptic-inverted ovoid, 6-12 mm long, 4-8 mm wide, with marginal hairs, glandular dots on the back. Male flowers: stamens in rounded-oval clusters, 4-6 mm in diameter; receptacle cylindrical, elongated at the top, without shield-like appendages; 11-19(23) stamens, 1.6-2.5 mm long at the base, anthers opening on the inner side, inverted-oval anthers, the two locules slanting outward, separated at the top, close to the base, filaments about 1 mm long, 1-4 stamens attached to the top of the receptacle, without filaments; Female flowers: pistils in oval clusters, 5-5.5 mm in diameter, 30-60 pistils, ovary nearly scythe-shaped-oval, 2-2.5 mm long, style crown narrow, only 0.1-0.2 mm long, extending downward into irregular appendages. Aggregate fruit has a receptacle 6-17 cm long, about 4 mm in diameter, aggregate fruit stalk 3-10 cm long, mature fruit is small, obovate, red, 8-12 mm long, 6-9 mm wide, with a short stalk; seeds are oblong or kidney-shaped, about 4 mm long, 3-3.8 mm wide, 2.5-3 mm high, hilum slanting V-shaped, about 1/3 of the width of the seed; seed coat is smooth and brown, or slightly wrinkled on the back. Blooms from April to July, fruiting from July to September.
【The Difference in Pictures of Wuxiang Vine and Wuxiang Blood Vine】
Wuxiang Vine:
Wuxiang Blood Vine:
【The Difference in Efficacy between Wuxiang Vine and Wuxiang Blood Vine】
Wuxiang Vine:
Clears heat and detoxifies, relaxes tendons and activates blood circulation, reduces swelling and relieves pain.
Wuxiang Blood Vine:
Relaxes tendons and activates blood circulation, regulates Qi and relieves pain, strengthens the spleen and aids digestion, nourishes the lungs and generates body fluids.
【The Difference in Main Uses between Wuxiang Vine and Wuxiang Blood Vine】
Wuxiang Vine:
Influenza, snake bites, rabies, rheumatism and numbness, contusions, irregular menstruation, abscesses and sores.
Wuxiang Blood Vine:
Contusions, fractures, strain injuries, rheumatic back pain, joint pain, food stagnation, stomach pain, abdominal distention, prolonged cough and shortness of breath, insufficient body fluids and thirst, irregular menstruation, bedwetting in children, burns.
【The Difference in Related Combinations of Wuxiang Vine and Wuxiang Blood Vine】
Wuxiang Vine:
1. For treating snake bites, rabies, and abscesses: Take an appropriate amount of Wuxiang Vine leaves, crush them, and apply externally. ("Selected Yunnan Medicinal Herbs")
2. For treating rheumatism and numbness, contusions, stomach pain, and irregular menstruation: Take 4-6 qian (about 12-18 grams) of Wuxiang Vine roots and stems. Decoct and take orally, or soak them in liquor and take orally. ("Selected Yunnan Medicinal Herbs")
3. For treating external bleeding: Grind Wuxiang Vine root bark or leaves into powder and apply to the wound. ("Selected Yunnan Medicinal Herbs")
Wuxiang Blood Vine:
1. For treating contusions, rheumatic back pain: Take 60 grams of Wuxiang Blood Vine roots, soak them in 500 ml of liquor for a week, take 10 ml per dose, 3 times a day. ("Zhejiang Medicinal Plants")
2. For treating burns and scalds: Clean and dry Wuxiang Blood Vine roots, grind them into a fine powder. Mix with sesame oil and apply to the affected area. ("Zhejiang Medicinal Plants")
