Motherwort (Stem is square and straight, with many branches at the top, gray-green, with longitudinal grooves, densely covered with villi, with a clear white pith in the center when broken, leaves are oppositely arranged on the nodes)

Motherwort (Small, wrinkled flowers in the leaf axils, bracts are spine-like, linear, persistent calyx retains dense small fruits)

Motherwort young leaves

Motherwort small section

Motherwort square stem, calyx

White Kun Flower (Motherwort flower)

Kun Flower, Gansui Flower

【Naming】

Motherwort

 【Source】

Superior Grade in the Classic of Herbal Medicine

 【Common Usage Level】

C

 【Botanical Origin】

The dried stems and leaves of Leonurus sibiricus L. of the Lamiaceae family.

 【Characteristics】

The dried whole herb is yellowish-green. The stem is square and straight, with many branches at the upper end, with longitudinal grooves, densely covered with villi, which are denser on the ridges and nodes. It is light and tough in texture, and the cross-section has a white pith in the center. The leaves are oppositely arranged on the nodes, with sparse serrations on the edges, dark green on the upper surface, lighter on the back, and fine villi on both sides; the upper leaves are pinnately deeply lobed or shallowly lobed into three segments, the middle leaves are divided into linear shapes, and the lower palmate leaves are three-lobed. Mostly wrinkled and broken; thin and brittle in texture. Some purplish-red or white wrinkled small flowers can be seen in the lower part of the leaf axils. The flowers are clustered into verticillasters, the bracts are spine-like, linear, with sharp tips, the calyx is persistent, the corolla is often shed and rarely exists, and there are small nutlets in the calyx tube. It has a green grassy smell and a sweet and bitter taste.
Processed product: It is the chopped whole herb, the stem is square and about 0.6~1㎝ thick, of varying diameters, the edges are greenish-green to yellowish-white, the pith is white and obvious, and the flowers and leaves are broken segments.

 【Processing】

1. Wash clean, cut into sections, and dry in the sun. 2. Wine-processed Motherwort

 【Identification】

The best quality is dry, with tender branches, yellowish-green in color, with leaves and flowers, and not moldy. The next best is those with white stems and fallen branches and leaves.

 【Category】

Whole Herb