Pinellia pedatisecta

Description

Pinellia pedatisecta, commonly known as crow-dipper or Zhi Ban Xia in traditional Chinese medicine, is a herbaceous perennial plant in the Araceae (arum) family. Here’s a detailed description:

Botanical Description

• Scientific name: Pinellia pedatisecta

• Family: Araceae

• Genus: Pinellia

Morphology

• Stem: Underground tuberous rhizome; the plant grows from a small corm that is globose or slightly flattened.

• Leaves:

  • Palmate or pedately compound, typically divided into 5–11 segments (hence “pedatisecta” — meaning foot-like division).

  • Bright green, stalked.

• Inflorescence:

  • A spathe and spadix structure, typical of the arum family.

  • The spathe (a leaf-like bract) is greenish to purplish and curves over the spadix (a spike-like structure).

• Height: Usually 20–40 cm tall.

Habitat and Distribution

• Native to: China, particularly in temperate and subtropical regions.

• Habitat: Moist, shaded woodland areas and grassy slopes.

• Cultivation: Grown for medicinal purposes, often in herbal gardens or field rows.

Medicinal Use

• Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM):

  • Used to treat phlegm, cough, and nausea.

  • Raw forms are toxic and must be processed before medicinal use (typically by drying or soaking with ginger).

• Key properties: Acrid, warm, and slightly toxic.

• Parts used: Primarily the tuber (rhizome).

Toxicity

• Contains calcium oxalate crystals that can irritate mucous membranes and cause a burning sensation.

• Must be properly processed before use in medicine.