(Zhang Zuiyong)

Four-pronged Schnabelia (Schnabelia oligophylla Hand. Mazz.) is also known as Arrow Feather Grass, Arrow Feather Schizandra, Arrow Bone Grass, Four-pronged Grass and so on. It is a perennial herb of Labiatae. It is distributed in Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Guangxi, Hunan and other places. It is mostly wild and has been cultivated in recent years. The whole herb is used as medicine. It is bitter, sour and warm in nature. It has the functions of driving away wind and dampness, promoting blood circulation and activating collaterals. It is used for treating rheumatism, tendon and bone pain, numbness of the limbs, bruises, swelling and pain.

I. Morphological Characteristics

The plant is about 1m high, with erect, cespitose, four-angled, narrowly membranous wings on the ribs, contracted at the nodes, puberulent, and much branched. Leaves opposite, leaf blade papery, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, apex acute, base broadly cuneate or rounded, margin coarsely serrate, both surfaces pilose. Flowers small, solitary in leaf axils, with open-pollinated and closed-pollinated flowers. Open-pollinated flowers, lavender, corolla 2-lipped. Closed-pollinated flowers, corolla white, very small, conical, caducous. Calyx of both types of flowers 5-lobed. Nutlets are all 4 (Figs. 16-35).

Figure 16-35: Morphology of Four-pronged Siberian Grass

1. Longitudinal section of open-pollinated flower 2. Longitudinal section of calyx 3. Longitudinal section of closed-pollinated flower 4. Longitudinal section of corolla

Biological Characteristics

The Four-pronged Siberian Grass is often wild in the understory of the shady and humid hill at an altitude of 600-1000m, and it prefers warm and shady moist forest. Warm and shade moist environment, avoid exposure to the sun and stagnant water. Seed reproduction, to pick with the sowing is good. late June sowing, the second year in May leaf axils or nodes on the single or concurrently closed pollinated flowers, nutlets; the third year leaf axils or nodes on the single open pollinated flowers, in early May to mid-May in the same plant at the same time to grow a closed pollinated flowers. Flowering temperature 14.7-27 ℃, suitable for 25-27 ℃, October to stop growing, leaves off or slightly outward rolled.

Three, cultivation techniques

(A) species

Currently there are still cultivated species of four-toothed four-pronged grass (S. tetrodata), the masses collectively referred to as four-pronged sinew grass. There is no difference between the two morphology, the main characteristics: the calyx is 4-lobed, the pedicel is shorter, the leaves are slightly smaller. The same into medicine.

(2) selection and preparation

Cultivation of four-pronged sinew grass, we must consider the environmental conditions, pay attention to its ecological habits, should choose the shady and moist under the sparse forest, well-drained humus soil cultivation. Deep turning 25cm, rake fine leveling, according to the terrain to decide the size of the flat bed.

(C) propagation methods

Propagation by seed, cuttings or division.

1. Seed propagation

(1) seedling transplantation

June-August each year, nutlets ripened one after another, its skin becomes yellow-green, slightly cracked when the best harvest. Sowing time to pick and sow with the best (late June to July), can also be spread out to dry the seeds in the shade, in the middle of August-September sowing. Seedling ground requirements are the same as those mentioned above, generally about 1.3m wide beds, the application of humus soil mixed with the topsoil of the beds, and then the application of hog manure water, the seeds are evenly spread, covered with grass ash or humus soil, inserted fern stalks or twigs to keep wet, to prevent exposure to sunlight, rain affects the emergence of seedlings. Seedbed shade should be removed in late September. In order to avoid the seedlings by the hot sun and die. Transplanting row spacing 20-25cm, plant spacing 10-15cm, 8-12cm deep, with soil transplanting. Each hole 2-3 plants.

(2) direct seeding

Strip sowing, spot sowing can be. Sowing spacing and transplanting rows of the same spacing. After sowing, cover the soil 0.3-0.5cm, must be inserted with fern stalks or put branches to prevent exposure to sunlight and heavy rain.

2. Reproduction by cuttings

Select vigorous growth, healthy and disease-free branches, cut off the tip of the tip of the shoots, cut into long 16-20cm plugs, each plug should be section 2-3, the lower cut should be 1-3cm from the section, because the rooting site is not in the section, but in the lower end of the cut around the sprouting. New roots sprout around the lower cut. Cuttings in February-March after the rain, the survival rate is higher, up to 90%. The spacing of cuttings can be referred to transplanting. This method has a high survival rate, easy to implement, labor-saving, can be popularized and applied.

3. planting propagation

In late September to October, combined with the harvest of the larger bushes dug up the roots, cut off the upper longer stalks for medicine, the lower part of the division into a small plant with stems and roots, cultivation methods and transplantation with the same.

(D) field management

Pulling weeds during the growing period. Every year in February to apply hog manure water once, winter application of rotting compost mixed with grass ash, or each hole in the humus soil, or finely shredded dead leaves once. As long as the management is strengthened, it can be harvested every year.

(E) Pests and diseases and their control

1. Short-bearded mite

(Brevipcdpus sp.)

Also known as the red spider, it occurs in April-May every year, and it harms the leaves, which can be prevented and controlled by 73% Kephrite 2,000 times liquid or 20% bis-carboxamidine 1,000 times liquid.

2. Powdery mildew

Annually in April and July, the leaves are harmed, and it should be prevented and controlled with 25% powdery mildew 2,000 times or metribuzin 1,000 times before the onset of the disease or at the early stage of the disease; in the winter, clear the garden and deal with the diseased residual plants, so as to reduce the source of overwintering fungus.

Four, harvesting and processing

Autumn harvest, with a sickle at about 7-10cm from the ground, the ground part of the cut, bundled into small handfuls, sun-dried into.