Rubia chinensis
Family: Rubiaceae
What it is like
A herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It has rhizomes. It grows 60 cm tall. The stems are angular. The leaves are in rings of 4. They are broadly oval and 3-10 cm long by 1-5 cm wide. The flowering shoots are near the ends of the stems. There are many flowers in a group between 5-30 cm long. They are greenish-white. The fruit is a black berry 4 mm across.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It grows in forests on mountains between 20-1,400 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, China, Japan, Korea, Manchuria, Mongolia, Russia
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Leaves