It is a deciduous shrub or tree of Cornaceae [Macrocarpium officinale (Sieb. Etzucc.) Nakai], alias Cornus officinalis, medicinal jujube and jujube peel (see Figure 2-85), and is used as medicine with pulp. The fruit contains cornuside (verbascoside), moroloniside, swertiaside, and strychnine, as well as ursolic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, gallic acid, saponin, tannin and vitamin A. It tastes sour, astringent and slightly warm. It has the functions of nourishing liver and kidney, arresting sweating, diuresis and lowering blood pressure. Treat waist and knee pain, dizziness, tinnitus, impotence, nocturnal emission, frequent urination, menorrhagia, physical weakness, hyperhidrosis and hypertension. Mainly produced in Zhejiang, distributed in Shaanxi, Shandong, Henan, Shandong, Anhui, Sichuan and other provinces. Funiu Mountain, Tianmu Mountain and Qinling Mountain are concentrated and mostly wild. At present, there are many kinds of cultivation. At present, production bases that have passed the national GAP certification have been established in Xixia County, Henan Province, Lin 'an City, Zhejiang Province and Foping County, Shaanxi Province.

Cornus officinalis likes warm, humid and sunny climate, and does not require strict temperature. It can grow at 35 ~-15℃. However, in case of freezing injury at flowering stage, pollination will be affected and yield will be reduced. In the south, the flowering period is from February to March, and the fruiting period is from April to1October. The flowering period in the north is from March to April, and the fruiting period is from 5 to11month. The comprehensive dormancy type of seeds caused by the double reasons of seed coat impermeability and embryo ripening.

Figure 2-85 Plant Morphology of Cornus officinalis 428_ 1

A2 1. Flower branch 2. Fruit branch 3. Flower