Identification & Quality Standard
Pyrrosiae Folium
Botanical Origin
The dried leaf of Pyrrosia sheareri (Bak.) Ching, Pyrrosia lingua (Thunb.) Farwell, Pyrrosia petiolosa (Christ) Ching. (Polypodiaceae).
Production Regions
Primarily produced in eastern, central and northeastern China.
Quality Requirements
Superior medicinal material has intact leaf, thick and large, red back side with small spots.
Macroscopic Features
Pyrrosia sheareri (Bak.) Ching: Leaf is slightly wrinkled, lanceolate shape after being flattened, 10~25cm long, 3~5cm wide. Apex is gradually pointed, base is ear-like and sloped, entire, edge often rolled inward; upper surface is yellowish-green or grayish-green, scattered black round small indented spots; lower surface has dense reddish-brown star-like hairs, sometimes has an interval of side veins with many brown round spotted spores. Leaf stem has 4 ridges, 10~20cm long, 1.5~3mm diameter, slightly curved, with longitudinal grooves. Leaf is leathery. faint odor, slightly astringent and bitter taste. Pyrrosia lingua (Thunb.) Farwell: Lanceolate or elliptical-lanceolate shape, 8~12cm long, 1~3cm wide, base is wedge-like shape, symmetrical. Spores are between the veins, arranged densely and even. Leaf stem is 5~10cm long, about 1.5mm diameter. Pyrrosia petiolosa (Christ) Ching: Often rolled in tubes, elliptical or oval-elliptical shape after flattened, 3~8cm long, 1~2.5cm wide, base is wedge-like and symmetrical. Lower surface side vein is indistinct, densely covered in spores. Leaf stem is 3~12cm long, about 1mm diameter.
