Dichroa
Encyclopedia
Dichroa is a genus of 12 species of flowering plant
s in the family Hydrangeaceae
, native to eastern and southeastern Asia
. They are deciduous
shrub
s growing to 1-3 m tall, with their leaves
arranged in opposite pairs. The flower
s are produced in a broad inflorescence
similar to that of the related genus Hydrangea
. The fruit
is a glossy metallic purple-blue berry
.
Dichroa febrifuga (Chinese: 常山; pinyin: chángshān) is an important herb
in traditional Chinese medicine
, where it is considered one of the 50 fundamental herbs.
Selected species
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s in the family Hydrangeaceae
Hydrangeaceae
Hydrangeaceae are a family of flowering plants in the order Cornales, with a wide distribution in Asia and North America, and locally in southeastern Europe.-Overview:...
, native to eastern and southeastern Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. They are deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s growing to 1-3 m tall, with their leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
arranged in opposite pairs. The flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s are produced in a broad inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
similar to that of the related genus Hydrangea
Hydrangea
Hydrangea is a genus of about 70 to 75 species of flowering plants native to southern and eastern Asia and North and South America. By far the greatest species diversity is in eastern Asia, notably China, Japan, and Korea...
. The fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
is a glossy metallic purple-blue berry
Berry
The botanical definition of a berry is a fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary. Grapes are an example. The berry is the most common type of fleshy fruit in which the entire ovary wall ripens into an edible pericarp. They may have one or more carpels with a thin covering and fleshy interiors....
.
Dichroa febrifuga (Chinese: 常山; pinyin: chángshān) is an important herb
Herb
Except in botanical usage, an herb is "any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume" or "a part of such a plant as used in cooking"...
in traditional Chinese medicine
Traditional Chinese medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine refers to a broad range of medicine practices sharing common theoretical concepts which have been developed in China and are based on a tradition of more than 2,000 years, including various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage , exercise , and dietary therapy...
, where it is considered one of the 50 fundamental herbs.
Selected species
- Dichroa daimingshanensis Y.C.Wu
- Dichroa febrifugaDichroa febrifugaDichroa febrifuga is a flowering plant in the family Hydrangeaceae.-Medicinal uses:It is an important herb in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is considered one of the 50 fundamental herbs.-External links:*...
Lour. - Dichroa hirsuta Gagnep.
- Dichroa mollissima Merrill
- Dichroa yaoshanensis Y.C.Wu
- Dichroa yunnanensis S.M.Hwang