Most people have the habit of drinking tea in the afternoon. Today, I would like to introduce a medicinal tea called "Nuer Cha" (Daughter Tea). Nuer Cha is a species in the Rosaceae family, genus Eriobotrya. It is also known as loquat, stink loquat, big green, old stork's eye, and cow loquat.
Plant morphology of Nuer Cha:
Yazao tree
It is a shrub that grows only 1.5 meters tall. It has many small branches that are densely covered with short and soft hairs when young. The leaves are alternate; there are two forms: one is oval or nearly circular, measuring 0.5-1 centimeter long; the other is oblong-elliptic, measuring 2-3 centimeters long, with a gradually pointed apex and a wedge-shaped to broadly wedge-shaped base. The margin has sparse fine serrations, and the upper surface is hairless, while the lower surface and leaf stalk have hairs. The leaf stalk is 1-2 millimeters long. It has slightly thorn-like stipules. The flowers are small, with 1-2 flowers borne in the leaf axils, and they have 5 parts. The flower stalk is very short and covered with short hairs on the outer side. The fruit is oval or nearly spherical, with a diameter of 5 millimeters, black, and with a fruit stalk 1 millimeter long. There are 3 elliptical seeds. It blooms in July and bears fruit in October.
It grows in rocky areas on low hills and mountains. It is distributed in Hubei, Sichuan, Guizhou, Shaanxi, and other places.
Collection of Nuer Cha:
Collect tender branches and leaves in April-May; collect roots in autumn and winter.
Properties and tastes of Nuer Cha:
"Guizhou Folk Medicine": "Cool in nature, slightly astringent and bitter in taste, non-toxic."
Functions and indications of Nuer Cha:
Clears heat, cools blood, and stops bleeding. It is used to treat hematemesis, hemorrhoids, abnormal uterine bleeding, irregular menstruation, and dysentery.
① "Guizhou Folk Medicine": "Clears heat, and cools blood."
② "Nanchuan Commonly Used Chinese Herbal Medicine Manual": "Crush the leaves and apply them to treat toxic sores."
③ "Sichuan Commonly Used Chinese Herbal Medicine": "Clears heat and resolves stagnation, activates blood circulation, and regulates menstruation. It is used to treat indigestion, stagnation of liver meridian, irregular menstruation, hematemesis, fatigue, cough, and abdominal pain."
Dosage and administration of Nuer Cha:
Internal administration: Decoction, 0.3-1 liang (fresh 1-2 liang).
