Man Jing Zi (Vitex Fruit) (Spherical, dark brown, white powder frost, hairy, apical depression, persistent calyx, small fruit stalk, light weight)

Man Jing Zi (Vitex Fruit) (Stir-fried below)

Man Jing Zi (Vitex Fruit), Bi Cheng Qie (Litsea Cubeba Fruit), Black Hu Jiao (Pepper), Jiao Mu (Pericarpium Zanthoxyli)

【Naming】

Man Jing Zi (Vitex Fruit)

 【Source】

Shen Nong’s Herbal Classic, Superior Grade‧Man Jing

 【Common Usage Level】

C

 【Botanical Origin】

The dried ripe fruit of single-leaved Vitex rotundifolia L. f. or Vitex trifolia L. of the Verbenaceae family.

 【Characteristics】

Spherical, 4~6㎜ in diameter. Surface is greyish-black or dark brown, covered with greyish-white powder frost, with 4 symmetrically arranged longitudinal shallow grooves, slightly concave at the top. At the bottom, there is a thin film-like persistent calyx and small fruit stalk. The persistent calyx covers 1/3-2/3 of the fruit, the edge is 5-lobed, often deeply split into two halves, greyish-white, densely covered with fine soft hairs. Light in weight, tough in texture, not easily broken, the fracture surface is oily, divided into four chambers, each chamber contains 1 seed, the seed kernel is white and oily. The odor is peculiar and aromatic, and the taste is bland and slightly pungent.

 【Processing】

Stir-fried Man Jing Zi (Vitex Fruit)

 【Identification】

The best quality has a white membrane (powder frost) on the fruit peel, is large and plump, and has an aromatic and pungent odor.

 【Identification Terminology】

1. Powder Frost: Refers to the powdery substance attached to the outer skin of certain fruits and seeds used as medicinal materials. For example, Dong Gua Pi (Winter Melon Peel) and Zao Jiao (Gleditsia Sinensis Fruit) both have powder frost. The appearance of Man Jing Zi (Vitex Fruit) medicinal material is greyish-black to dark black, covered with white powder frost, which appears as fine hairs under a magnifying glass.

 【Category】

Fruits