Carpesium
November 9, 2025 admin

He Shi (Carpesium) (Achene double achene small and hard grain, with prominent 4 edges, densely hooked thorns)

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Top left)She Chuang Zi (Cnidium Fruit) (Top right) Celery Seed (Bottom left) Carrot Seed (Bottom right) Southern He Shi (Carpesium)

【Naming】

He Shi (Carpesium)

【Source】n

Shen Nong’s Herbal Classic

【Common Use Degree】n

E

【Botanical Origin】n

He Shi (Carpesium) is the dried ripe fruit of Carpesium abrotanoides L. (Asteraceae). Southern He Shi (Carpesium) is from Daucus carota L. (Umbelliferae), and Southern He Shi (Carpesium) Lappula echinata Gilib (Boraginaceae). The species of this product is very confusing. In addition to the above, there are many cases of different substances with the same name and the same substance with different names.

【Characteristics】n

(1) Northern He Shi (Carpesium): The dried fruit is cylindrical, small, with a blunt and pointed base, about 3-4 cm long and less than 1 cm wide. It is hairless, with a yellowish-brown surface, with numerous longitudinal ridges and grooves. The top is contracted into a linear short beak with a grayish-white annular substance at the tip. The cross-section is nearly circular, the seed kernel is yellowish-white and oily. It has a slight odor, a slightly bitter taste, and is sticky when tasted.n(2) Southern He Shi (Carpesium): The double achene is broadly elliptical. Most of the commercial products have split into separate fruits, 3-4 mm long and 1.5-2.5 mm wide. The surface is light greenish-brown or brownish-yellow, with residual pistil bases at the apex and a blunt and round base. The back is raised with 4 protruding ridges, and a row of yellowish-white hooked thorns is densely grown along the ridges. The thorns are up to 1.5 mm long. Short soft hairs are scattered in the depressions between the ridges. The junction surface is flat with 3 veins and soft hairs. It is light in weight and tough in texture. It has a peculiar aroma when rubbed.nNorthern Carpesium is a small achene, yellowish-gray, with numerous longitudinal ridges and grooves. The cross-section is nearly circular, the seed kernel is yellowish-white, tastes slightly bitter, and is sticky when chewed; Southern Carpesium is a split fruit, brownish-yellow, with a row of hooked thorns densely growing on the 4 ridges on the back. It has a peculiar odor and a slightly pungent and bitter taste. The two differ greatly in shape and taste.

【Identification】n

The best ones are those with uniform grains, fullness, no white skin, no impurities, and a sticky taste.

【Category】n

Fruits