Identification & Quality Standard
Herba Schizonepetae
Botanical Origin
The dried aerial portion of Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briq.(Lamiaceae)
Production Regions
Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hebei, Henan.
Quality Requirements
Superior medicinal material has pale yellowish-green, potent aromatic odor, long and dense spike-like verticillaster.
Macroscopic Features
Stem is a square rod shape, with branches at the upper portion, 50~80cm long, 0.2~0.4cm diameter; externally pale yellowish-green or pale purple-red, covered with short soft hairs; light in weight, brittle texture, fractured surface is off-white. Opposing leaves have generally fallen off, 3~5 pinnately divided leaves are thin and long. Spike-like verticillaster grows at the apex, 2~9cm long, about 7mm diameter. corolla often falls off, persistent calyx is bell-shaped, with 5 teeth-like cracks at the tip, pale brown or yellowish-green, covered with short soft hairs; brownish-black pyrena. Aromatic odor; slightly astringent and acrid cool taste.
