Bao zhu cao
Disporum viridescens

Family: Colchicaceae

What it is like

A herb with a rhizome or underground stem. The rhizome is short. There are creeping stolons or runners. The roots are densely tufted. The stem is often branched. It can be 30-80 cm high. The leaf stalk is very short. The leaf blade is oval and 5-12 cm long by 2-5 cm wide. The flowering stalk is at the end of the branch. There are 1 or 2 flowers. The flowers open widely. They are greenish-white. The fruit is a black berry. It is round and 1 cm across. There are 2 or 3 seeds. The seeds are red-brown and 4 mm across.

There are 20 Disporum species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in forests and on grassy slopes from near sea level to 600 m altitude in N China.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, Japan, Korea, Manchuria, Russia

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Uvularia viridescens Maxim.; Disporum smilacinum A.Gray var. viridescens (Maxim.) Maxim.; Prosartes viridescens (Maxim.)Regel;