Lotus Herb, a traditional Chinese medicine, is a common name for the plant Gentiana scabra. It usually grows in shaded mountain slopes or forested areas, mainly found in southeastern provinces of Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong. Lotus herb is known for its heat-clearing, detoxifying, diuretic, and vision-improving properties.
【Origin of Lotus Herb】
Lotus herb is the whole plant of Gentiana scabra, a member of the Gentianaceae family.
【Botanical Characteristics of Lotus Herb】
Gentiana scabra, also known as cluster-flowered gentian, is a perennial herb. It grows to a height of 6.5-15 centimeters and has a smooth texture. The short rhizome has fine roots and is pale yellow in color.
The stem rises obliquely from the leaf rosette, often with 3-5 branches. The basal leaves are lotus-shaped, with lanceolate leaf blades measuring 5-8 centimeters in length. They are slightly fleshy, with indistinct 3-veined patterns, entire margins, and no petioles.
The stem leaves are lanceolate, measuring 2.2-4 centimeters in length. The lowermost leaves are less than 1.5 centimeters long and have short sheaths at the base. The flowers, 3-7 in number, cluster at the top of the stem. The calyx tube is 5-lobed and linear-lanceolate in shape.
The corolla is bell-shaped and pale purple-blue, with 5 shallow lobes. The corolla lobes are triangular and symmetrical. There are 5 stamens attached to the corolla tube. The ovary is superior, with one chamber and numerous ovules. The style has 2 stigmas and is nearly sessile.
The capsule is slender and splits into 2 valves when mature. The flowering period is from September to October, and the fruiting period is from October to November.
Lotus herb is distributed in Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Hunan, Guangdong, and Guangxi, growing on shaded slopes, damp forest understories, forest edges, next to bare rocks, and in roadside grasslands.
【Usage and Dosage of Lotus Herb】
Orally: Decoction, 0.5-2 liang. Topically: Crushed and applied.
