补骨脂 bu gu zhi
Wei Zhi[1]; Michael G. Gilbert[2]
Tribal description??.
Nine genera and 185 species: five genera in North America south to Mexico, two genera ± restricted to S Africa, one in the Mediterranean region, and one (Cullen) mostly Australian but with outlying species extending to S Africa; one species in China.
补骨脂 bu gu zhi shu
Shrublets or herbs, with black glands, especially on calyx. Leaves digitally or pinnately 1–5-foliolate; stipules embracing stem by the broad base; leaflets entire or denticulate. Inflorescences axillary, capitate, spicate, racemose, or fasciculate; bracts membranous, each often embracing 2 or 3 flowers. Calyx 5-toothed. Corolla purple, blue or white, petals subequal in length, clawed. Stamens diadelphous, vexillary stamen free or ± connate with the others; ovary sessile or shortly stipitate, 1-ovuled. Pod ovoid, indehiscent, with persistent calyx, pericarp adhering to seed. Seed without strophiole, with very short funicle.
About 34 species: mostly in Australia (23 species), one species in Indonesia, one from China through India and Oman to Somalia, three in SW Asia, two in the Mediterranean region, and ca. three in S Africa; one species in China.
补骨脂 bu gu zhi
Psoralea corylifolia Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 762. 1753; Lotodes corylifolia (Linnaeus) Kuntze; Psoralea pattersoniae Schonland; Trifolium unifolium Forsskål.
Annual herbs, 60–150 cm. Stems erect, branched, sparsely white puberulent, gland-dotted. Leaves 1-foliolate, sometimes with a much smaller lateral leaflet; stipules falcate, 7–8 mm; petiole 2–4.5 cm; leaf broadly ovate, 4.5–9 × 3–6 cm, both surfaces subglabrescent and black glandular-dotted, base rounded or subcordate, margins undulate or irregularly coarsely dentate, apex obtuse or acute. Inflorescence axillary, densely congested, capitate or shortly racemose; 10–30-flowered; peduncles 3–7 cm; bracts membranous; calyx 4–6 mm; corolla blue to yellowish, standard obovate, 5.5 mm. Pod ovoid, ca. 5 mm, black, glabrous, apex with a short tip, irregularly reticulate. Seed reniform, dark brown, 3–5 × 2–4 mm. Fl. Jul–Aug, fr. Sep–Oct.
Warm valleys, cultivated in C and E China. Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan [Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka; E Africa (Somalia), SW Asia (S Arabian peninsula)].
Cullen corylifolia is used medicinally.