Everyone relies on medicine to some extent in their daily lives, and today we are going to learn about traditional Chinese medicine. Fake ginseng, also known as Codonopsis pilosula, is named for its similar appearance to ginseng. In history, its roots were used as medicine, known for nourishing and strengthening the body, invigorating the middle energizer, and moisturizing the lungs.
Image of fake ginseng
Fake ginseng is a perennial herbaceous plant. Its rhizome is short, bamboo-like, and grows horizontally, with 2 to several fleshy roots. The fleshy roots are cylindrical, about 2-4 cm long and 1 cm in diameter, with longitudinal wrinkles when dried.
The aboveground stem is solitary, about 40 cm tall, with longitudinal grooves and no hairs, and the base has residual scale leaves.
The leaves are compound palmate, with 4 leaflets whorled at the top of the stem. The leaf stalk is 4-5 cm long, with longitudinal grooves and no hairs. The stipules are small and lanceolate, about 5-6 mm long.
There are 3-4 leaflets, thin and transparent, inversely ovate to inversely oblong-elliptic. The central leaflet is about 9-10 cm long and 3.5-4 cm wide, while the lateral leaflets are smaller. The apex is long and gradually pointed, and the base tapers downward. The margin has serrate teeth with prickles, and the upper surface is densely covered with rigid hairs, about 1.5-2 mm long. The lower surface is hairless, and there are 8-10 pairs of prominent lateral veins on both sides, with obvious reticulate veins. The leaflet petioles are 2-10 mm long and densely covered with rigid hairs at the connection with the leaf stalk.
The umbel inflorescence is solitary and terminal, with a diameter of about 3.5 cm and 20-50 flowers. The peduncle is about 12 cm long, with longitudinal grooves and no hairs. The flower stalk is slender, hairless, and about 1 cm long. The bracts are not obvious. The flowers are yellow-green. The calyx is cup-shaped (the calyx of the male flower is top-shaped) with 5 triangular teeth along the edge. There are 5 petals, 5 stamens, and a 2-loculed ovary. The style is 2 (with 1 rudimentary pistil on the male flower) and recurved. The fruit is not observed.
Fake ginseng can be used to make soup or stir-fry dishes. It can also be mixed with chicken, fish, or meat to make soup or stir-fried dishes.
