Identification & Quality Standard
Fructus Amomi
Botanical Origin
The dried mature fruit of Amomum villosum Lour., Amomum villosum Lour. var. xanthioides T. L. Wu et Senjen, Amomum longiligulare T. L. Wu.(Zingiberaceae)
Production Regions
Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi. Imported sha ren is produced in Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and Indonesia.
Quality Requirements
Superior medicinal material is large, firm, full, with potent aroma.
Macroscopic Features
Amomum villosum Lour., Amomum villosum Lour. var. xanthioides T. L. Wu et Senjen: elliptical or oval shape, with three unobvious ridges. 1.5~2cm long, 1~1.5cm diameter. Externally brown, densely have spiny protrusions; apex has remnants of perianth, base often has fruit stem. Exocarp is thin and soft. Seeds are bound together in a cluster, with three blunt ridges, center has white membrane that splits seeds into three sections, each has 5~26 seeds. Seeds are irregular polyhedrons, 2-3mm in diameter; externally brownish-red or dark brown, with thin wrinkles, externally covered with a pale brown membranous pseudocarp; hard texture, endosperm is milky-white. Potent aromatic odor, acrid and cool, slightly bitter taste. Amomum longiligulare T. L. Wu.: long elliptical or oval-round shape, with three obvious ridges, 1.5~2cm long, 0.8~1.2cm diameter. Externally covered flake-like and branched soft spines; base has scar of fruit stem. Exocarp is thick and hard. Seed cluster is relatively small, each has 3~24 seeds; seed diameter is 1.5~2mm. Slightly light odor and taste.
