Cibotium barometz (L.) J. Sm.

Cibotium barometz (L.) J. Sm.

Latin Name: Cibotium barometz (L.) J. Sm.; Family Dicksoniaceae.

Synonym Name: Aspidium barometz (L.) Willd.; Dicksonia barometz (L.) Link; Nephrodium barometz (L.) Sweet; Polypodium barometz L.

English Name:  Scythian Lamb

Description: Rhizome prostrate, stout, densely covered with shiny brown long hairs. Stipes thick, up to 1 m or more, triangular in transverse section at base, with dense caducous appressed hairs, stipe and rachis green, turning purplish abaxially with age, stipe with a continuous or broken row of linear aerophores on each side, base with a mass of long (1-1.5 cm) hairs, upper part of stipe and rachis covered with small, appressed flaccid hairs becoming glabrescent; lamina 2-pinnate-pinnatifid, 1.5-3 m; medial pinnae 40-80 × 15-30 cm, lower pinnae shortened, deflexed; pinnae many, alternate, stalked, pinnules shortly stalked, usually of ± equal length on either side of rachilla; pinnule segments slightly falcate, apiculate, margins crenulate to serrulate-serrate; veins free, fertile ones simple, sterile simple or forked; lamina subleathery, adaxial surface deep green, abaxial surface glaucous, glabrous on both sides, except hairy on midrib; venation visible on both surfaces, free, lateral veins simple or forked. Sori usually 1-5 at base of lower pairs of pinnule segments; indusia bivalvate, outer indusia orbicular, inner ones ± oblong; outer valve of indusium usually large; paraphyses dark reddish brown. Spores pale yellowish, with equatorial flange.

Distribution: Growing in limesmarginis at mountain foot and on acid soil in dank forests. Can be cultivated. Distributed in South and Southwest China, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Taiwan, Hunan and etc. The medicinal materials are mainly produced in Fujian, Sichuan and etc.

Part Used: Medical part: rhizome. Chinese name: Gouji.

Chemistry: Rhizome contains aspidinol and 30% amylum and methanol extracted from hydrolyzed kaempferol. Golden yellow squame contains tannin and pigment.

Pharmacology: Continuous injection may clearly increase the intake of 86Rb by cardiac muscle.

Properties & Actions: Sweet, bitter, warm. Tonifying the liver and kidney, strengthening the lumbus and knees and curing rheumatism.

Indications & Usage: Used for relative weakness in the loins and knees, weakness of the lower limbs, rheumatic arthralgia. Oral administration: decocting, 10-15g; or made as medicinal liquor. External application: appropriate amount, fresh products smashed for application. Use with caution in cases of kidney deficiency and heat, inhibited urination or short, dark or inhibited voiding of urine.

Examples       

1. Rheumatic osteodynia, weakness of waist and knee: cibotium barometz root and stem 18g, camphortree root, european verbena 12g each, euconmmia, teasel 15g each, Japan buttercup 9g, red two-toothed achyranthes 6g. Immerse into liquor and drink.

2. Lumbago and excess urine: cibotium barometz, papaya, cortex acanthopanacis, euconmmia. Decoct in water and swallow.

ibproject.hkbu.edu.hk

efloras.org