Identification & Quality Standard
Bulbus Lilii
Botanical Origin
The dried fleshy bulb of Lilium lancifolium Thunb., Lilium brownii F. E. Brown var. viridulum Baker, or Lilium pumilum DC. (Liliaceae).
Production Regions
Primarily produced in Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Hunan, Hubei, Shaanxi.
Quality Requirements
Superior medicinal material has evenly thick flesh, yellowish-white, hard texture, few veins.
Macroscopic Features
Lilium lancifolium Thunb.: Bulb is 2~3.5cm long, 1.5~3cm wide, 1~3cm thick; externally milky white to pale yellowish-brown; 3~8 longitudinal lines, hard and brittle texture; when broken apart, it presents with a flat fractured surface, horn-like; faint odor; taste slightly bitter.
Lilium brownii F. E. Brown var. viridulum Baker: Bulb is long oval, with pointed apex and relatively wide base; wavy pieces that slightly curve inward; 1.5~3cm long, 0.5~1cm wide, about 4mm thick; 3~5 veins, some not obvious; externally white to pale yellow, translucent and smooth, hard and brittle texture; easily broken, with flat fractured surface, horn-like; faint odor; bitter taste.
Lilium pumilum DC.: Bulb is about 5.5cm long, 2.5cm wide, 3.5mm thick; relatively dark; vein is not obvious.
