Species: Nelumbo nucifera
English Name: Lotus
Chinese Name: 蓮
Family: Nymphaeaceae
Description:
Perennial aquatic herbs. Rhizome creeping horizontally. The petioles are held out above the surface of the water, the blades are orbicular, centrally peltate, waxy above. Flower terminal at tip of pedicel, large, fragrant, dark red, pink, white or pale green.
Its is mostly cultivated in ponds.
Preparation: Whole herb is used. The rhizome can be collected in autumn, flower and stamen in June to August. The seeds and receptacle are harvested in July to October and the green embryo removed from the seeds. Washed and used fresh or sun-dried.
Properties: Sweet, astringent in taste, mild in nature. Embryo: bitter in taste, cold in nature.
Actions and Indications: Rhizome: indicated for febrile disease marked by thirst; hemoptysis; hematemesis, hemafecia, hematuria. Leaves: indicated for sunstroke, enteritis, hematemesis, epistaxis, etc. Petiole: indicated for sunstroke, dizziness, chest upset, stagnation of qi. Stamen: indicated for nocturnal emission, spermatorrhea, leucorrhea, frequent urination and enuresis. Receptacle: indicated for metrorrhagia, lochiorrhea, lower abdominal pain due to blood stasis; hemafecia, hematuria. Seed: indicated for diarrhea due to deficiency of spleen; loose stool, nocturnal emission and leucorrhea. Embryo: indicated for febrile disease marked by thirst, irritability, insomnia, hypertension.
©2003 S.K. Chan et. al.
Photos used under a Creative Commons license
References:
– Chan Shek-Kiu and Wu Qi-Gen. Chinese Medicinal Herbs of Macao (Volume 1), Macao, University of Macau, 2003.