Polygonum multiflorum - Polygonum multiflorum

Japanese: ツルドクダミ - つるどくだみ

A perennial plant of the Polygonaceae family (APG classification: Polygonaceae). Although it is named after Houttuynia cordata, it is not a member of the family. The roots grow underground and in places become round, hard tuberous roots. The stems grow long and vine-like, wrapping around other things. The leaves are long-stalked, alternate, egg-shaped, heart-shaped, and pointed at the tip, very similar to Houttuynia cordata, measuring 4.5 to 6 cm long. The name means vine, as the leaves resemble Houttuynia cordata. There are small projections on the surface of the veins, but the rest of the leaves are hairless and thin. The leaf sheaths are short, cylindrical, membranous, 2 to 3 mm long, without hairs, and have small projections. From August to October, large panicles are produced in the leaf axils, and many small flowers bloom. There are five white or red circular perianths. After flowering, the three petals grow and encase the fruit, becoming broadly obovate, 7-8 mm long and with three wings. The achene is 2 mm long, black-brown and shiny. It was introduced from China during the Edo period and is now naturalized throughout Japan.

[Junko Kobayashi December 11, 2020]

Medicinal

In traditional Chinese medicine, the swollen, reddish-brown roots are called Polygonum multiflorum and are used as a sedative, aphrodisiac and laxative to treat senility, nervous exhaustion, insomnia, malaria, high blood pressure and nocturnal emission. Polygonum multiflorum is the name of a long-lived person in China who is said to have maintained his longevity by taking powdered roots of Polygonum multiflorum. In addition, by applying raw leaves to swellings, pus can be sucked out.

[Motoo Nagasawa December 11, 2020]

Polygonum multiflorum
The stems grow long and vine-like, and the leaves are egg-shaped and heart-shaped, very similar to those of Houttuynia cordata. From August to October, large panicles are produced in the leaf axils, and many small white or red flowers bloom. The leaves and roots are used for medicinal purposes. ©Seishohmaru ">

Polygonum multiflorum

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

タデ科（APG分類：タデ科）の多年草。ドクダミの名がついているがドクダミ科の植物ではない。根は地中を伸び、ところどころ丸くて堅い塊根となる。茎はつる状に長く伸び、他物に巻き付く。葉は長柄があって互生し、卵状心臓形で先端はとがり、ドクダミによく似た形で長さ4.5～6センチメートル。名は、この葉の形がドクダミに似ているつる草の意味である。表面の葉脈上に小突起があるが、ほかは無毛で質は薄い。葉鞘(ようしょう)は短い円筒状で膜質、長さ2～3ミリメートルで縁毛はなく、小突起がある。8～10月、葉腋(ようえき)に大きな円錐(えんすい)花序をつくり、小花を多数開く。花被片(かひへん)は5枚、白または紅色で円形。花期後、3枚は成長して果実を包んで広倒卵形となり、長さ7～8ミリメートル、3翼がある。痩果(そうか)は長さ2ミリメートル、黒褐色で光沢がある。江戸時代に中国から伝わり、現在では日本各地に野生化している。

［小林純子　2020年12月11日］

薬用

漢方では、塊状に肥大した赤褐色の根を何首烏(かしゅう)と称し、鎮静、強精、緩下剤として、老衰、神経衰弱、不眠症、マラリア、高血圧症、遺精などの治療に用いる。何首烏とは中国に伝わる長寿者の名で、ツルドクダミの根を粉末にして服用し、長寿を保ったという。なお、生の葉を腫(は)れ物にはると膿(のう)（うみ）を吸い出すことができる。

［長沢元夫　2020年12月11日］

ツルドクダミ

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