Introduction of Mi Meng Hua: Pale Butterfly-bush Flower
✵This article documents the herb Pale Butterfly-bush Flower, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor, and botanical source—namely one plant species: (1) Buddleja officinalis Maxim.—with detailed descriptions of its botanical features, growth characteristics, ecological environment, macroscopic herb characteristics, pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Flos Buddlejae (Pale Butterfly-bush Flower)
Pinyin Name: Mì Ménɡ Huā
English Name: Pale Butterfly-bush Flower
Latin Name:Flos Buddlejae Property and Flavor: Slightly cold; sweet.
Brief Introduction:Flos Buddlejae is the dried flower bud and inflorescence of Buddleja officinalis Maxim., used to clear liver heat and resolve nebula for treating acute conjunctivitis with lacrimation and photophobia, and blurred vision due to nebula. It is commonly known as Flos Buddlejae, Pale Butterfly-bush Flower, or Mì Ménɡ Huā.
Botanical Source:Flos Buddlejae (Pale Butterfly-bush Flower) is the dried flower bud and inflorescence of Buddleja officinalis Maxim., a plant of the genus Buddleja L., family Loganiaceae, order Gentianales. (formerly in order Contortae).
Herbal classic works define Flos Buddlejae (Pale Butterfly-bush Flower) as the dried flower bud and inflorescence of (1) Buddleja officinalis Maxim. This commonly used species is described below:
(1) Buddleja officinalis Maxim.
Botanical Description:Buddleja officinalis Maxim. is also known as Pale Butterfly-bush Flower or Mì Ménɡ Huā. It is a deciduous shrub growing up to 1–3 m tall. Branchlets are taupe brown (grayish brown), slightly prismatic, and densely covered with white stellate hairs and trichomes on the branches, petioles, abaxial leaf surfaces, and inflorescences; stem hairs gradually abscise. Leaves are simple and opposite; leaf blades are broadly lanceolate, 5–12 cm long and 1–4 cm wide; the apex is acuminate, the base is cuneate, and the margin is entire or slightly serrated.
The large panicle is composed of cymes, terminal or axillary; grayish-white tomentum densely covers the involucre, hypanthium (calyx tube), and corolla. The calyx is campanulate (bell-shaped) and 4-lobed at the apex; the corolla is tubular (fistuliform), 4-lobed at the apex, with the violet tube and the orange-yellow limb; both internal and external surfaces are tomentose. There are 4 stamens, inserted at the middle of the corolla tube. The ovary is superior, bilocular, pilose; the style is short; the stigma is enlarged and ovate-oblong.
The capsule fruit is ovate-oblong, 2–6 mm long, 2-lobed, with the exocarp covered in stellate hairs and the perianth persistent at the base. Seeds are minute and winged at both ends. Its flowering period extends from February to March; fruiting occurs from May to August.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows on hillsides, riverbanks, scrubland near villages, and forest edges.
Growth Characteristics: The plant commonly thrives in sunny, limestone-rich sloping fields and scrubland near rivers.
Characteristics of the Herb: The herb consists primarily of small inflorescence branches bearing dense flower buds, forming irregular, block-like masses 1.5–3 cm in length. The surface is sallow (grayish yellow) or brownish yellow and densely covered with pubescence. Individual flower buds are short, rod-like structures, slightly enlarged at the apex, measuring 0.3–1 cm in length and 0.1–0.2 cm in diameter. The calyx is campanulate (bell-shaped) and 4-toothed at the apex; the corolla is tubular, equal to or slightly longer than the calyx, and 4-lobed at the apex; the inner surface of the corolla is purple-brown, with very sparse pubescence. The herb is soft, possesses a slight fragrance, and tastes slightly pungent and bitter.
Pharmacological Actions: (1) vitamin P–like activity; (2) inhibition of formaldehyde-induced inflammation; (3) reduction of vascular permeability and fragility in the skin and small intestine; (4) spasmolytic effect; (5) relaxation of the biliary duct smooth muscle.
Medicinal Efficacy: Dispels wind, cools the blood, moistens the liver, and brightens the eyes. Indicated for redness, swelling, and pain of the eyes; excessive lacrimation and photophobia; glaucoma ("blue blindness"), optic atrophy, and nebula; wind-stirred dizziness; and ocular ulcers.
Administration of Flos Buddlejae (Mì Ménɡ Huā):
Reference:
Administration Guide for Flos Buddlejae (Mì Ménɡ Huā)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally: 3–9 grams; (2) Internally: water decoction, 1–3 qián (≈3–9 grams), or prepared as pills or powder.
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References:
1.Introduction of Mi Meng Hua: Pale Butterfly-bush Flower.
✵This article documents the herb Pale Butterfly-bush Flower, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor, and botanical source—namely one plant species: (1) Buddleja officinalis Maxim.—with detailed descriptions of its botanical features, growth characteristics, ecological environment, macroscopic herb characteristics, pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Mì Ménɡ Huā
Botanical Description: Buddleja officinalis Maxim. is also known as Pale Butterfly-bush Flower or Mì Ménɡ Huā. It is a deciduous shrub growing up to 1–3 m tall. Branchlets are taupe brown (grayish brown), slightly prismatic, and densely covered with white stellate hairs and trichomes on the branches, petioles, abaxial leaf surfaces, and inflorescences; stem hairs gradually abscise. Leaves are simple and opposite; leaf blades are broadly lanceolate, 5–12 cm long and 1–4 cm wide; the apex is acuminate, the base is cuneate, and the margin is entire or slightly serrated.
The large panicle is composed of cymes, terminal or axillary; grayish-white tomentum densely covers the involucre, hypanthium (calyx tube), and corolla. The calyx is campanulate (bell-shaped) and 4-lobed at the apex; the corolla is tubular (fistuliform), 4-lobed at the apex, with the violet tube and the orange-yellow limb; both internal and external surfaces are tomentose. There are 4 stamens, inserted at the middle of the corolla tube. The ovary is superior, bilocular, pilose; the style is short; the stigma is enlarged and ovate-oblong.
Characteristics of the Herb: The herb consists primarily of small inflorescence branches bearing dense flower buds, forming irregular, block-like masses 1.5–3 cm in length. The surface is sallow (grayish yellow) or brownish yellow and densely covered with pubescence. Individual flower buds are short, rod-like structures, slightly enlarged at the apex, measuring 0.3–1 cm in length and 0.1–0.2 cm in diameter. The calyx is campanulate (bell-shaped) and 4-toothed at the apex; the corolla is tubular, equal to or slightly longer than the calyx, and 4-lobed at the apex; the inner surface of the corolla is purple-brown, with very sparse pubescence. The herb is soft, possesses a slight fragrance, and tastes slightly pungent and bitter.
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