Clove
Clove (flower bud short stick, round spherical crown, columnar calyx tube, brownish-brown, brittle, oily, aromatic and spicy)
Mother Clove (ovate fruit, brownish-black, four-lobed calyx at the top, cotyledons clasping, spicy, brittle and firm)
【Naming】
【Source】
Song Kai Bao
【Commonly Used Degree】
B
【Botanical Origin】
Dried flower buds of the Myrtaceae tree Clove tree Eugenia caryophyllata Thunb.
【Characteristics】
The flower buds are slightly short and club-shaped, 1.5~2㎝ long, reddish-brown to dark brown. The receptacle is slightly flat, four-sided cylindrical. The lower part is a cylindrical, slightly flattened calyx tube, with incisions and oil seeping out. The top of the receptacle has four slightly triangular, thick sepals. The top of the flower bud is an unopened corolla (spherical), approximately 6㎜ in diameter, with four petals that clasp each other. Dissecting the flower bud reveals numerous stamens, four pistils, filaments curved towards the center, and a thick, cylindrical, erect style and stigma in the center. It is firm and heavy, sinking when placed in water; the cross-section is oily, and oil seeps out when scratched with a fingernail. It has a strong, aromatic odor and a pungent taste.
【Identification】
《Universal Relief Prescriptions》: “Mother Clove is the best.” 《Compilation of Proven Elixir Formulas》: “True Clove is as large as a date pit.” 《Identification of Good and Bad》: “The superior grade sinks immediately when placed in water.” 《Essential Obstetrics for Home Hygiene》: “Mother Clove must be as spicy as a lychee pit and large. Do not use old ones.” It is best if the body is dry, the grains are large and unopened, the color is reddish-brown, the oil content is sufficient, the aroma is strong, it can sink in water, and there is no stalk.
【Identification Terminology】
1. Male Clove: Refers to the flower buds of Clove, which have a strong aromatic odor and are of good quality.
2. Mother Clove: Refers to the fruit of Clove, which has a slightly lighter aromatic odor, is of inferior quality, and is less effective than male Clove.
3. Chicken Tongue Spice: The two cotyledons of Mother Clove are relatively clasped together in an obovate shape, resembling a chicken tongue.
【Category】
Flowers