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Lindera strychnifolia

Common name:		Family:	Lauraceae
Author:	(Siebold.& Zucc.)F.Vilm.	Botanical references:	58
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	E. Asia - China.
Habitat:	Shrub thickets along mountainsides[147].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	0	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	2

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	Benzoin strychnifolium[H] Daphnidium myrrha[H] Daphnidium strychnifolium[G] Daphnidium strychnifolius[H] L. aggregata[G] Laurus aggregata[G]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Tendai-Uyaku [E], Wu Yao [E],
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Laurales. Laurel family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	China

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen shrub growing to 9m. . It is in leaf all year. The flowers are dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). The plant not is self-fertile. We rate it 0/5 for edibility and 2/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid and neutral soils and can grow in very acid soil. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland). It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Sunny Edge.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Anodyne Antiphlogistic Antispasmodic Aromatic Astringent Carminative Decongestant Diaphoretic Febrifuge Sedative Stomachic Tonic.

Aromatic, decongestant, stomachic[174].
The fruit is diuretic and vermicidal[147]. A decoction is used in the treatment of abdominal distension, menstrual pain, stomach chills, dysuria, oedema, fungal infections, scabies and worms[147, 218, 238].
The seed is febrifuge[218].
The root is anodyne, antiphlogistic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, diaphoretic, stomachic and tonic[147, 176, 218]. It is used with ginseng (Panax spp.), liquorice (Glycyrrhiza spp) and lignaloes (the report does not say what this is) to form a famous Chinese sedative[218]. The root s used in the treatment of menstrual pain, enuresis, frequent micturation and distension with pain of the lower abdomen[176].

We have a more details factsheet on the history and medicinal use of this plant. Email webmaster@pfaf.org for details.

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Requires a lime-free rather moist soil[200]. Prefers partial shade or dappled sunlight in a fertile moisture-retentive soil enriched with leafmould[200].
Planted in gardens in the warmer areas of Japan, plants are hardy outdoors in Tokyo if they are protected from cold winds[58].
Plants can be pruned right back to the base if required, though any drastic pruning is best spread over several seasons[200].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].
Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a greenhouse. The seed has a short viability and should not be allowed to dry out[200]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July in a frame[200].
Layering.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Lindera aggregata (a possible synonym).

[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.

References for the family Lauraceae.

[CHINA] Draft Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[58] Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965
The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader.

[147] ? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X
A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.

[174] Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants.
A good Japanese herbal.

[176] Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985
A very good Chinese herbal.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
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We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.