scientific name

Lycoris radiata, Lycoris rubra and Lycoris argentea.

Lycoris comes from the name of the goddess of the sea in Greek mythology, and radita means radial, which is used to describe the appearance of flowers.

Family and genus

Lycoridae, Lycoris.

The characteristics of Lycoris are as follows: firstly, the flower scape (total stalk) is pulled out to bloom, and leaves are produced at the end of the flower or after the flower withers; There are also some species that smoke leaves first, and then bloom after the leaves wither, so Lycoris radiata can't see the leaves when they bloom.

Flowering time

Three days before and after the vernal equinox are called the other side of spring, and three days before and after the autumnal equinox are called the other side of autumn. Flowers bloom on the other side of autumn, which is very punctual, so it is called the other side flower.

Other standard names

English name clusteramaryllis, Lycoris tuba, Japanese name マンジュシャゲ,

Another name

Flower on the other side, unintentional grass, dragon claw flower, cockroach flower, crow garlic, garlic flower, jack-o'-lantern, ghost flower, hell flower, shed flower, aconite poison, life and death flower, ground thunder, old age, wolf flower, headache flower, etc.

Origin and main distribution

Originated in China's Yangtze River basin, distributed in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and parts of southwest China. Related records first appeared in the Song Dynasty and were called "Wulitou Grass" and "Dragon Claw Flower". At present, it is widely distributed in East Asia, Vietnam, Malaysia and other countries. It is speculated that the current Japanese varieties were shipped to Kitakyushu Island from China more than 2,000 years ago.

Morphological characteristics of flowers on the other shore

It is a perennial herb flower of Amaryllidaceae. Flowers are like dragon claws. Having bulbs shaped like onions; The leaves are clustered, slender and sharp, like garlic leaves, fleshy, striped, turquoise and white; Calyx solitary, terminal umbel. At the turn of summer and autumn, the flower stems come out of the ground, and the umbrella-shaped inflorescence is terminal, with 5 to 7 flowers. The red color is strange (besides red, there are white and yellow varieties), and the petals roll back like a dragon's claw. Flowers first, leaves later, leaves don't fall in winter, and leaves fall asleep in summer. Because flowers and leaves can't meet, Lycoris radiata is also called "heartless" flower.

Growth habit

Wild varieties grow on dark and humid land, and their native place is red soil, which is cold-resistant and shade-loving, and the highest tolerable high temperature is 24℃ per day. Like humidity, but also drought-tolerant, accustomed to acidic soil, loose and fertile humus soil is the best. Have the habit of sleeping in summer.

cultivate

Generally, it is appropriate to culture bulbs alone after flowering. When cultivating, apply sufficient base fertilizer, cover bulbs with soil and pour water. The black flower ball of Lycoris radiata is very easy to feed, and it won't die if it stays wet for a year.

Main applications

Lycoris rubra is a common garden ornamental plant in East Asia. Its leaves are appreciated in winter and its flowers are appreciated in autumn. This kind of flower is mostly used for villa garden planting. Generally, hundreds of plants are planted together, which will bloom in large numbers in autumn and have excellent landscape effect. In addition, because the roots of Lycoris radiata are very similar to narcissus, they are all spherical stems. Some black-hearted flower vendors will sell it as daffodils, so when buying flowers, they should carefully screen it to prevent being fooled.

Lycoris radiata is ornamental, but its rhizome is poisonous. Its bulb contains alkaloid Rickling poison, which can cause vomiting, spasm and other symptoms, and has obvious effects on the central nervous system. Can not be eaten at will, but can be used for sedation, inhibition of drug metabolism and anti-cancer effects. Although toxic, the bulbs can be eaten after treatment and used as medicinal materials. Galanthamine extracted from the root of Lycoris radiata can be used to treat poliomyelitis, which has been used abroad, and experts in China are also doing in-depth research to develop drugs for the benefit of mankind.

Medicinal bulb: contains a variety of alkaloids, such as lycorine, lycorine, galanthamine and so on. Has effect in expelling pathogenic wind, relieve swelling, removing toxic materials and resis cancer. It can be used to treat gastric cancer, esophageal cancer and liver cancer, and try to treat lung cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer and lymphoma.

pharmacology

According to the records of traditional Chinese medicine, the bulb of Lycoris rubra is warm, pungent, bitter and toxic. As a medicine, it has the effects of inducing vomiting, eliminating phlegm, reducing swelling, relieving pain and detoxifying. But if eaten by mistake, it may lead to poisoning, from vomiting and diarrhea to paralysis of the central nervous system, which is life-threatening.

Pharmacological research shows that the main medicinal components of Lycoris radiata bulb are lycorine and galanthamine. Lycorine and its derivatives have certain anticancer activity, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, sedative and emetic effects, and are also effective in treating amebic dysentery. Galanthamine is a reversible cholinesterase inhibitor, which is used for paralysis and myasthenia gravis caused by central paralysis diseases such as polio. At present, all these components can be extracted on a commercial scale.

Ornamental resort

There are Dali and Lijiang in Yunnan, Taroko and Mazu in Taiwan Province, and Nirigo.

The origin of flowers on the other side

Three days before and after the vernal equinox are called the other side of spring, and three days before and after the autumnal equinox are called the other side of autumn. Today is grave-sweeping day. Flowers bloom on the other side of autumn, which is very punctual, so it is called the other side flower.

The flowers over there bloom over there, but you can't see the leaves when they bloom, and you can't see the flowers when there are leaves. Flowers and leaves don't meet, and life is wrong. There are a lot of flowers blooming there, which looks like a carpet paved with blood. Because of its fiery red color, it is called the "road of fire" and the only scenery and color on this long yellow road. They form a fiery red flower road to guide people to the other side of Sancha River, and people follow the guidance of this flower to the prison of the underworld. In fact, the flower on the other side originally meant the flower in the sky, red, one of the four auspicious flowers in the sky.

Related legends

Legend has it that a long time ago, the other side of the edge of the city was covered with large flowers-that is, Manzhu Shahua. On the other side, there are two fairies guarding the flowers, one is Manzhu and the other is Shahua. They have been waiting for the flowers on the other side for thousands of years, but they can never see each other with their own eyes … because they can't see the leaves when they bloom; But when there are leaves, you can't see flowers. Between flowers and leaves, you can't meet each other all the time, and life is wrong. However, they miss each other madly and are deeply tortured by this pain. Finally, one day, they decided to meet secretly against God's rules.

That year, the safflower of Manzhu Shahua was particularly enchanting and beautiful against the striking green background. However, this incident was blamed by God. Manzhu and Shahua were reincarnated, and they were cursed to never be together, suffering from generation to generation on earth. From then on, Manzhushahua is also called the flower on the other side, which means the flower blooming in heaven. This flower is shaped like a palm that only prays to heaven, but it never appears in the city again ... from then on, this flower only blooms on a dead end. Every time Manzhu and Shahua are reincarnated, they can smell the fragrance of flowers on the dead end, and then they can think of themselves in their previous lives, and then swear not to separate, but they will fall into the cycle of curse.

Related legend 2

Legend has it that people who see the flowers on the other side will recall the memories of past lives, and all kinds of flower language reflect its enchanting, mysterious and charming. .......