Coltsfoot Flower (Three flowers together, green coat and red mouth)

Honey-fried Coltsfoot Flower Coltsfoot Flower (Long oval stick shape, yellow-brown-purple, purplish-brown pedicel, triangular scaly bracts, tubular flower, white silky floss) (Spider web-like)nn【Naming】n

Coltsfoot Flower

n 【Source】n

Classified as “medium grade” in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Classic of Herbal Medicine)

n 【Commonly Used Level】n

C

n 【Botanical Origin】n

The dried, unopened flower buds of Tussilago farfara L., belonging to the Asteraceae (Compositae) family.

n 【Characteristics】n

The whole form is an irregular club shape, 1.5~3㎝ long. The stem has light purple scale-like leaves, which are broadly ovate, with an acuminate apex and a diameter of about 5㎜. The outer layer is an involucre composed of about 20 bracts, which are slightly triangular. The inner surface has white villi. Both the ligulate and tubular flowers are extremely small, no more than 3㎜ long, and have a pappus. It has a slight aroma and a slightly bitter and viscous taste. Commercial products often contain flower stalks and are brittle and easy to break. The fractured surface is flat and light yellowish-white, with a hollow center. Honey-fried Coltsfoot Flower: is brownish-yellow.

n 【Processing】n

1. Raw Coltsfoot Flower 2. Honey-fried Coltsfoot Flower

n 【Identification】n

“Those shaped like unopened water shields are best,” according to the Zheng Lei Ben Cao. “Flowers bloom in November and December, resembling yellow chrysanthemums. Those with slightly visible, unopened flowers are good,” according to the Ben Cao Bei Yao. “Coltsfoot Flower that grows in the mountains is best,” according to the Pao Zhi Quan Shu. “Those with slightly visible, unopened flowers are good,” according to the Zeng Yao Bian.nThose that resemble a writing brush tip, with a grayish-purple to bluish-green base, mostly grayish-green stems, and grayish cotton-like filaments when broken are best. Those that are black and moldy are not suitable for medicinal use.

n 【Identification Terminology】n

1. Three Flowers Together: Specifically refers to the long, oval, club-shaped flower heads of Coltsfoot Flower, often with 2~3 flower heads connected together.n2. Green Coat and Red Mouth: The green coat refers to the involucre under the (club-shaped) flower head of Coltsfoot Flower, which is purplish-red and greenish. The red mouth refers to the unopened ligulate and tubular flowers at the top of the Coltsfoot Flower, which are light red and turn yellow after opening.n3. Spider Web-like: The cottony material on the inner surface of the coltsfoot bracts becomes white filaments after being broken.

n 【Category】n

Flowers