Gentiana Crassicaulis

Gentiana crassicaulis粗茎秦艽 (Family: Gentianaceae), commonly known as Rough-stemmed Gentian, is a perennial herb that grows to a height of 30-40 cm. The plant is smooth and hairless throughout, with its base wrapped in persistent fibrous leaf sheaths. It has many fibrous roots, and the few branches grow in clusters. The rosette leaves are ovate-elliptic or narrowly elliptic, 12-20 cm long and 4-6.5 cm wide, with blunt or acute tips, gradually tapered bases, slightly rough edges, 5-7 veins that are prominent on both sides and raised underneath. The leaf stalks are wide, 5-8 cm long, and covered by persistent fibrous leaf sheaths. The stem leaves are ovate-elliptic to ovate-lanceolate, 6-16 cm long, 3-5 cm wide, with blunt to acute tips, blunt bases, slightly rough edges, 3-5 veins prominent on both sides and raised underneath. The petioles are wide, nearly sessile to up to 3 cm long, with the leaves becoming larger and the petioles shorter towards the top of the stem, where the upper leaves are densely clustered, enveloping the inflorescence.

The flowers are numerous, sessile, clustered at the top of the stem in head-like formations or occasionally axillary in whorls. The calyx is membranous, 4-6 mm long, with one side split into a Buddhist-like bract, the tip being truncate or rounded, with 1-5 very small, conical teeth, 0.5-1 mm long. The corolla tube is yellowish-white, with the corolla lobes being blue-purple or deep blue, spotted inside, funnel-shaped, 2-2.2 cm long. The lobes are ovate-triangular, 2.5-3.5 mm long, with blunt tips, entire margins, and slightly oblique folds, triangular, 1-1.5 mm long, with blunt tips and irregular fine teeth. The stamens are inserted in the middle of the corolla tube, with filaments being filiform, 7-8 mm long, and the anthers being narrowly oblong, 1.5-2.5 mm long. The ovary is sessile, narrow-elliptic, 8-10 mm long, with a tapered tip, and the style is linear, 2-2.5 mm long, with a two-lobed stigma. The capsule is enclosed, sessile, elliptical, 18-20 mm long, with shiny reddish-brown seeds, oval, 1.2-1.5 mm long, with a fine reticulate surface. The flowering and fruiting period is from June to October.

Growing Environment: It grows in alpine meadows, slopes, roadside, high mountain grasslands, wastelands, shrubs, forest understories, and forest edges at altitudes of 2100-4500 meters. It does not have strict environmental requirements but prefers a cool, humid climate with ample sunlight. It is cold-resistant, dislikes waterlogging, and young seedlings are sensitive to strong light. The plant grows best in loose, fertile, deep humus-rich soils and sandy loams.

Distribution: It is found in southeastern Tibet, Yunnan (Lijiang, Weixi, Zhongdian, Deqin), Sichuan, northwestern Guizhou, southeastern Qinghai, and southern Gansu in China. It is also cultivated in Lijiang, Yunnan.

Main Value: Rough-stemmed Gentian is used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM); its medicinal name is Qin Jiao. It mainly contains alkaloids and has a bitter, pungent taste, and is neutral in nature with no toxicity. It is used to dispel wind and dampness, harmonize the blood and relax the muscles, clear heat, and promote urination. It is used to treat rheumatic pain, muscular and skeletal rigidity, jaundice, blood in the stool, bone fever, childhood nutritional heat, and difficulty urinating.

Medicinal Uses:

1. Dispel Wind and Dampness: Qin Jiao has a bitter taste and neutral nature, affecting the liver, stomach, and lung meridians. It can be used to alleviate rheumatic pain and muscle and joint stiffness.
2. Relax Muscles and Tendons: Qin Jiao helps to relax muscles and tendons, easing rheumatic pain and muscle weakness.
3. Clear Heat and Detoxify: Qin Jiao clears heat and detoxifies, which can help with heat-related sores, throat pain, and oral ulcers.
4. Promote Urination and Reduce Swelling: It has diuretic and anti-swelling properties, useful for edema, urinary difficulties, and dysuria.
5. Cough and Asthma Relief: Qin Jiao can help with coughs, asthma, chest tightness, and excessive phlegm.

Protection Status: Listed as Near Threatened (NT) in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

Rough-stemmed Gentian generally refers to Qin Jiao, which is used in traditional Chinese medicine for its various therapeutic effects, including dispersing wind, relieving dampness, relaxing tendons, clearing heat, promoting urination, and alleviating cough and asthma.