Introduction of Yu Li Ren: Chinese Dwarf Cherry Seed
✵The article records the herb Chinese Dwarf Cherry Seed, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavors, and botanical sources—four plant species: (1) Prunus humilis Bge., (2) Prunus japonica Thunb., (3) Prunus pedunculata Maxim., and (4) Prunus triloba Lindl. It provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environments of these four species; the characteristics of the herb; its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Semen Pruni (Chinese Dwarf Cherry Seed)
Pinyin Name: Yù Lǐ Rén
English Name: Chinese Dwarf Cherry Seed
Latin Name:Semen Pruni Properties and Flavor: Neutral in nature; pungent, bitter, and sweet in taste
Brief Introduction:Semen Pruni is the dried ripe seed of Prunus humilis Bge., Prunus japonica Thunb., Prunus pedunculata Maxim., or Prunus triloba Lindl. It is used as a mild laxative for constipation and as a diuretic to alleviate edema. Common names include Chinese Dwarf Cherry Seed, Long-stalk Peach Seed, Bunge Cherry Seed, Dwarf Flowering Cherry Seed, Chinese Bushcherry Seed, and Downy Cherry Seed (Yù Lǐ Rén).
Botanical Source: Classical herbal works define Semen Pruni (Yù Lǐ Rén) as the dried ripe seed of (1) Prunus humilis Bge., (2) Prunus japonica Thunb., (3) Prunus pedunculata Maxim., and other authoratitive herbal works also collected a fourth species (4) Prunus triloba Lindl. These species belong to the genus Prunus L., family Rosaceae (rose family), order Rosales. The four commonly used species are described below:
(1) Prunus humilis Bge.
Botanical Description:Prunus humilis Bge. is a deciduous shrub, commonly known as Cerasus humilis (Bge.) Sok. or Ōu Lǐ. It grows 0.4–1.5 m tall. Branchlets are grayish-brown or tan, pubescent. Leaves are alternate; petioles 2–4 mm long, glabrous or sparsely pubescent; stipules linear (filiform), 5–6 mm long, with glandular margins; leaf blades are obovate-oblong to obovate-lanceolate, 2.5–5 cm long and 1–2 cm wide, widest above the middle; apex is acute or shortly acuminate; base is cuneate; margins simply serrate or biserrate; upper surface is dark green, lower surface is pale green, glabrous or sparsely pubescent.
Flowers emerge concurrently with new leaves, solitary or in clusters of 2–3; pedicels are 5–10 mm long, sparsely pubescent; hypanthium (calyx tube) are nearly equal in length and width, sparsely pilose externally; sepals are triangular-ovate, apex is acute or obtuse; petals are white or pink, oblong or obovate; 30–35 stamens; styles are nearly equal in length to stamens, glabrous.
Fruit is a drupe, subspherical (torulose) at maturity, 1.5–1.8 cm in diameter, red, bright red to violet-red. Flowering occurs from April to May; fruiting from June to October.
Seeds are ovate, 5–8 mm long and 3–5 mm in diameter. Surface is yellowish-white or light brown; one end is pointed, the other end is blunt. A linear hilum runs along one side of the apex; a dark chalazal spot occupies the center of the rounded end; numerous longitudinal vascular bundles extend upward from the chalaza. The testa (seed coat) is thin; cotyledons are creamy-white and oily. Taste is slightly bitter.
Ecological Environment: It grows on barren hill slopes, sandy mounds, mountainous shrublands, or is cultivated in gardens.
Growth Characteristics:Prunus humilis prefers full sun and exhibits broad climatic adaptability. It survives winter temperatures as low as −15 °C (5 °F) without protection. In summer, it tolerates up to 40 °C (104 °F) if soil moisture is adequate. Drought-tolerant but prefers moist (not waterlogged) conditions. Adaptable to various soils—including sandy loam, clay, and loess—but thrives best in fertile, moisture-retentive clay loam, owing to its shallow absorptive root system.
Characteristics of the Herb: Seeds of Prunus humilis Bge. are oval (egg-shaped) to ovate-oblong; a few are spherical (globular), 6–7 mm long and 3–4 mm in diameter. The spermoderm (seed coat) is yellow-brown. The chalaza is dark brown and about 0.7 mm in diameter.
(2) Prunus japonica Thunb.
Botanical Description: The plant Prunus japonica Thunb. is commonly known as Cerasus japonica (Thunb.) Loisel., or Yù Lǐ. It is a species of the genus Prunus L., family Rosaceae (rose family), order Rosales. A deciduous shrub, it grows up to 1–1.5 meters tall. The bark is taupe (grayish brown) and bears irregular vertical stripes; young shoots (twigs) are yellow-brown and smooth; branchlets are green or greenish-brown and glabrous. Winter buds are ovate and glabrous. Leaves are alternate; petioles are 2–3 mm long and pubescent; stipules (peraphylla) are two, linear (filiform), and caducous; leaf blades are usually ovate-oblong or oval (egg-shaped), rarely ovate-lanceolate, 3–7 cm long and 1.5–2.5 cm wide; the apex is acuminate, the base is rounded, and the margin is sharply biserrate; the upper surface is bottle-green (dark green) and glabrous; the lower surface is pea green (pale green), glabrous on the veins or sparsely pilose along the veins; lateral veins occur in 5–8 pairs.
Flowers bloom before leaves sprout or simultaneously with leaf emergence; 1–3 flowers grow in a tuft (cluster); pedicels are 5–10 mm long, glabrous or sparsely pilose, and ribbed; the hypanthium (calyx tube) is turbinate, with length and width nearly equal (about 2.5–3 mm), and glabrous; sepals are elliptic, slightly longer than the hypanthium (calyx tube), with a rounded and obtuse apex and a serrate margin; flower petals are white or pink and obovate-elliptic; there are about 32 stamens; styles and stamens are subequal in length and glabrous.
Drupes (drupe fruits) are subsphaeroidal (torulose), crimson (deep red), and about 1 cm in diameter; the surface of the stone (endocarp) is smooth. Its flowering period is May; the fruiting period is from July to August. 2n = 16.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows on sunny hillsides and mountain slopes, roadsides, or in low shrubs, at altitudes of 100–200 meters above sea level.
Characteristics of the Herb: Seeds are oval (egg-shaped) or spherical (globular), about 7 mm long and about 5 mm in diameter. The spermoderm (seed coat) is pale yellowish-white to hazel (pale brown). The apex is pointed and the base is blunt. There is a filiform hilum (linear hilum) at the apex; the chalaza is dark brown, about 1 mm in diameter, and many brown vascular bundles radiate from it. The raphe is conspicuous. The seed coat is thin; after soaking the seeds in warm water, the seed coat falls off, revealing an inner surface covered with white, translucent residual endosperm. There are two cotyledons, cream-white (milky white), rich in oil. The herb has a slight odor and tastes slightly bitter.
(3) Prunus pedunculata Maxim.
Botanical Description:Prunus pedunculata (Pall.) Maxim. is also known as Amygdalus pedunculata Pall., or Cháng Gěng Biǎn Táo, or Cháng Bǐng Biǎn Táo. It is a species of the genus Amygdalus L., family Rosaceae (rose family), order Rosales. A short semishrub, it grows up to 1–2 meters tall. Branches are explanate, with numerous short branchlets; branchlets are hazel (pale brown) to dull tannish-gray and pubescent when young. Winter buds are short and small; typically, three winter buds occur on short branches—the middle one is a leaf bud and the two lateral ones are flower buds. Leaves on short branches are densely clustered; leaves on current-year branches are alternate. Leaf blades are elliptic, orbicular (subrotund), or obovate, 1–4 cm long and 0.7–2 cm wide; the apex is acute or obtuse; the base is broadly cuneate; the upper surface is dark green; the lower surface is pea green (pale green); both surfaces are sparsely pubescent; leaf margins are irregularly coarsely serrate; lateral veins occur in 4–6 pairs; petioles are 2–5 (–10) mm long and pubescent.
Flowers are solitary and bloom slightly before leaf emergence; they are 1–1.5 cm in diameter. Pedicels are 4–8 mm long and pubescent. The hypanthium (calyx tube) is broadly campaniform (bell-shaped), 4–6 mm long, glabrous or slightly pilose. Sepals are triangular-ovate, with a slightly obtuse apex; margins are sometimes sparsely and shallowly serrated. Flower petals are orbicular (subrotund), 7–10 mm in diameter, sometimes slightly emarginate, and pink. There are numerous stamens. The ovary is densely pubescent; the style is slightly longer than or nearly equal in length to the stamens.
Fruits are subsphaeroidal (near-spherical) or ovoid, 10–15 mm in diameter; the apex bears small pointed tips and turns dark purplish-red at maturity; fruits are densely pubescent. Pedicels are 4–8 mm long. The fruit pulp is thin and dry, dehiscing at maturity; fruits are freestone. The stone (endocarp) is broadly ovate, 8–12 mm in diameter; the apical end bears small protruding tips; the base is rounded; both sides are slightly flattened; color is hazel (pale brown); the surface is smooth or slightly wrinkled. The seed kernel is broadly ovoid and brown-yellow. Its flowering period is May; the fruiting period is from July to August.
Difference from Amygdalus triloba: This species is closely related to Amygdalus triloba (Lindl.) Ricker, but the shrub is relatively short and small, reaching only 1–2 meters in height. The leaf apex is often undivided; margins are irregularly coarsely serrate; the stone (endocarp) is broadly ovate, with small protruding tips at the apex and a smooth or slightly wrinkled surface. Its flowering period is May; the fruiting period is from July to August.
Ecological Environment: The plant is a xerophytic shrub, cold-tolerant, and cultivated for ornamental purposes. It grows on hilly ground, gravelly sunny slopes, and desert steppe.
Characteristics of the Herb: Seeds are conical, 8–9 mm long and about 6 mm in diameter. The spermoderm (seed coat) is reddish-brown and wrinkled. The chalaza is dark brown and about 2 mm in diameter.
Pharmacological Actions: (1) Shortens defecation time and increases defecation frequency in mice with dryness-type constipation; (2) Purgative effect; (3) Anti-inflammatory activity; (4) Analgesic activity.
Medicinal Efficacy: Promotes bowel motility, moistens intestinal dryness, induces laxation, descends Qi, and alleviates water retention. It is indicated for intestinal dryness due to fluid depletion, dyspepsia with Qi stagnation (e.g., indigestion, food retention, and Qi stagnation), large-intestinal Qi stagnation, abdominal distension and constipation, dryness-induced obstruction, edema, ascites (enlarged abdomen with fluid accumulation), limb edema, beriberi, and dysuria.
Administration of Semen Pruni (Yù Lǐ Rén):
Reference:
Administration Guide for Semen Pruni (Yù Lǐ Rén)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally: 6–10 grams; (2) Internally: water decoction, 1–3 qián (approximately 3–9 grams), or prepared as pills or powder; (3) Internally: water decoction, 3–10 grams, or prepared as pills or powder.
Contraindications, Precautions, and Adverse Reactions: Semen Pruni should be used with caution during pregnancy. It should not be used concurrently with beef or horsemeat.
(4) Prunus triloba Lindl.
Botanical Description:Prunus triloba Lindl. is commonly known as Amygdalus triloba (Lindl.) Ricker or Yú Yè Méi. It is a species of the genus Amygdalus L., family Rosaceae (rose family), order Rosales. A deciduous shrub—rarely a small tree—it grows to 2–3 meters in height. Young shoots are glabrous or slightly pubescent. Leaves are alternate; petioles are 5–10 mm long and pubescent; leaf blades are broadly elliptic to obovate, 2–6 cm long and 1.5–4 cm wide; the apex is short-acuminate and often 3-lobed; the base is broadly cuneate; the upper surface is sparsely pilose or glabrous; the lower surface is pubescent; margins are coarsely serrate or biserrate.
1–2 flowers, axillary, blooming before leaf sprouts, 2–3 cm in diameter; pedicels are 4–8 mm long; hypanthium (calyx tube) is broadly campanulate (bell-shaped), glabrous or mucronate when young; 5 sepals, oval (egg-shaped) or ovate-lanceolate, sparsely serrulate near the apex; 5 petals, pink, orbicular or broadly obovate, 6–10 mm long, apex is blunt, sometimes emarginate; 25–30 stamens, shorter than the petals; ovary is densely pubescent, style is slightly longer than the stamens.
Fruit is subsphaeroidal (nearly spherical), 1–1.8 cm in diameter, with a small apical point, red, externally pubescent; fruit pulp is thin, dehiscent at maturity; stone is subsphaeroidal, with a thick, hard shell, 1–1.6 cm in diameter, nearly unflattened on both sides, apex is blunt, surface bearing irregular reticulate patterns. Flowering period: April–May; fruiting period: May–July.
Ecological Environment: The plant prefers full sun, is moderately shade-tolerant and cold-hardy, and can overwinter at temperatures as low as −35 °C (−31 °F). Soil requirements are not strict; neutral to slightly alkaline, fertile soil is optimal. Root system is well developed; drought-tolerant but intolerant of waterlogging. Exhibits strong disease resistance. Grows on slopes or along ditches, in shrublands, or at forest edges, at low to medium elevations.
Characteristics of the Herb: Seeds are conical, 7–8 mm long, ~6 mm in diameter. Spermoderm (seed coat) is reddish brown, wrinkled. Chalaza is dark brown, ~2 mm in diameter.
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1.Introduction of Yu Li Ren: Chinese Dwarf Cherry Seed
✵The article records the herb Chinese Dwarf Cherry Seed, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavors, and botanical sources—four plant species: (1) Prunus humilis Bge., (2) Prunus japonica Thunb., (3) Prunus pedunculata Maxim., and (4) Prunus triloba Lindl. It provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environments of these four species; the characteristics of the herb; its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Yù Lǐ Rén
Botanical Description: Prunus humilis Bge. is a deciduous shrub, commonly known as Cerasus humilis (Bge.) Sok. or Ōu Lǐ. It grows 0.4–1.5 m tall. Branchlets are grayish-brown or tan, pubescent. Leaves are alternate; petioles 2–4 mm long, glabrous or sparsely pubescent; stipules linear (filiform), 5–6 mm long, with glandular margins; leaf blades are obovate-oblong to obovate-lanceolate, 2.5–5 cm long and 1–2 cm wide, widest above the middle; apex is acute or shortly acuminate; base is cuneate; margins simply serrate or biserrate; upper surface is dark green, lower surface is pale green, glabrous or sparsely pubescent.
Flowers emerge concurrently with new leaves, solitary or in clusters of 2–3; pedicels are 5–10 mm long, sparsely pubescent; hypanthium (calyx tube) are nearly equal in length and width, sparsely pilose externally; sepals are triangular-ovate, apex is acute or obtuse; petals are white or pink, oblong or obovate; 30–35 stamens; styles are nearly equal in length to stamens, glabrous.
Seeds are ovate, 5–8 mm long and 3–5 mm in diameter. Surface is yellowish-white or light brown; one end is pointed, the other end is blunt. A linear hilum runs along one side of the apex; a dark chalazal spot occupies the center of the rounded end; numerous longitudinal vascular bundles extend upward from the chalaza. The testa (seed coat) is thin; cotyledons are creamy-white and oily. Taste is slightly bitter.
Growth Characteristics: Prunus humilis prefers full sun and exhibits broad climatic adaptability. It survives winter temperatures as low as −15 °C (5 °F) without protection. In summer, it tolerates up to 40 °C (104 °F) if soil moisture is adequate. Drought-tolerant but prefers moist (not waterlogged) conditions. Adaptable to various soils—including sandy loam, clay, and loess—but thrives best in fertile, moisture-retentive clay loam, owing to its shallow absorptive root system.
Botanical Description: The plant Prunus japonica Thunb. is commonly known as Cerasus japonica (Thunb.) Loisel., or Yù Lǐ. It is a species of the genus Prunus L., family Rosaceae (rose family), order Rosales. A deciduous shrub, it grows up to 1–1.5 meters tall. The bark is taupe (grayish brown) and bears irregular vertical stripes; young shoots (twigs) are yellow-brown and smooth; branchlets are green or greenish-brown and glabrous. Winter buds are ovate and glabrous. Leaves are alternate; petioles are 2–3 mm long and pubescent; stipules (peraphylla) are two, linear (filiform), and caducous; leaf blades are usually ovate-oblong or oval (egg-shaped), rarely ovate-lanceolate, 3–7 cm long and 1.5–2.5 cm wide; the apex is acuminate, the base is rounded, and the margin is sharply biserrate; the upper surface is bottle-green (dark green) and glabrous; the lower surface is pea green (pale green), glabrous on the veins or sparsely pilose along the veins; lateral veins occur in 5–8 pairs.
Drupes (drupe fruits) are subsphaeroidal (torulose), crimson (deep red), and about 1 cm in diameter; the surface of the stone (endocarp) is smooth. Its flowering period is May; the fruiting period is from July to August. 2n = 16.
Characteristics of the Herb: Seeds are oval (egg-shaped) or spherical (globular), about 7 mm long and about 5 mm in diameter. The spermoderm (seed coat) is pale yellowish-white to hazel (pale brown). The apex is pointed and the base is blunt. There is a filiform hilum (linear hilum) at the apex; the chalaza is dark brown, about 1 mm in diameter, and many brown vascular bundles radiate from it. The raphe is conspicuous. The seed coat is thin; after soaking the seeds in warm water, the seed coat falls off, revealing an inner surface covered with white, translucent residual endosperm. There are two cotyledons, cream-white (milky white), rich in oil. The herb has a slight odor and tastes slightly bitter.
Botanical Description: Prunus pedunculata (Pall.) Maxim. is also known as Amygdalus pedunculata Pall., or Cháng Gěng Biǎn Táo, or Cháng Bǐng Biǎn Táo. It is a species of the genus Amygdalus L., family Rosaceae (rose family), order Rosales. A short semishrub, it grows up to 1–2 meters tall. Branches are explanate, with numerous short branchlets; branchlets are hazel (pale brown) to dull tannish-gray and pubescent when young. Winter buds are short and small; typically, three winter buds occur on short branches—the middle one is a leaf bud and the two lateral ones are flower buds. Leaves on short branches are densely clustered; leaves on current-year branches are alternate. Leaf blades are elliptic, orbicular (subrotund), or obovate, 1–4 cm long and 0.7–2 cm wide; the apex is acute or obtuse; the base is broadly cuneate; the upper surface is dark green; the lower surface is pea green (pale green); both surfaces are sparsely pubescent; leaf margins are irregularly coarsely serrate; lateral veins occur in 4–6 pairs; petioles are 2–5 (–10) mm long and pubescent.
Flowers are solitary and bloom slightly before leaf emergence; they are 1–1.5 cm in diameter. Pedicels are 4–8 mm long and pubescent. The hypanthium (calyx tube) is broadly campaniform (bell-shaped), 4–6 mm long, glabrous or slightly pilose. Sepals are triangular-ovate, with a slightly obtuse apex; margins are sometimes sparsely and shallowly serrated. Flower petals are orbicular (subrotund), 7–10 mm in diameter, sometimes slightly emarginate, and pink. There are numerous stamens. The ovary is densely pubescent; the style is slightly longer than or nearly equal in length to the stamens.
Difference from Amygdalus triloba: This species is closely related to Amygdalus triloba (Lindl.) Ricker, but the shrub is relatively short and small, reaching only 1–2 meters in height. The leaf apex is often undivided; margins are irregularly coarsely serrate; the stone (endocarp) is broadly ovate, with small protruding tips at the apex and a smooth or slightly wrinkled surface. Its flowering period is May; the fruiting period is from July to August.
Ecological Environment: The plant is a xerophytic shrub, cold-tolerant, and cultivated for ornamental purposes. It grows on hilly ground, gravelly sunny slopes, and desert steppe.
Botanical Description: Prunus triloba Lindl. is commonly known as Amygdalus triloba (Lindl.) Ricker or Yú Yè Méi. It is a species of the genus Amygdalus L., family Rosaceae (rose family), order Rosales. A deciduous shrub—rarely a small tree—it grows to 2–3 meters in height. Young shoots are glabrous or slightly pubescent. Leaves are alternate; petioles are 5–10 mm long and pubescent; leaf blades are broadly elliptic to obovate, 2–6 cm long and 1.5–4 cm wide; the apex is short-acuminate and often 3-lobed; the base is broadly cuneate; the upper surface is sparsely pilose or glabrous; the lower surface is pubescent; margins are coarsely serrate or biserrate.
1–2 flowers, axillary, blooming before leaf sprouts, 2–3 cm in diameter; pedicels are 4–8 mm long; hypanthium (calyx tube) is broadly campanulate (bell-shaped), glabrous or mucronate when young; 5 sepals, oval (egg-shaped) or ovate-lanceolate, sparsely serrulate near the apex; 5 petals, pink, orbicular or broadly obovate, 6–10 mm long, apex is blunt, sometimes emarginate; 25–30 stamens, shorter than the petals; ovary is densely pubescent, style is slightly longer than the stamens.
Ecological Environment: The plant prefers full sun, is moderately shade-tolerant and cold-hardy, and can overwinter at temperatures as low as −35 °C (−31 °F). Soil requirements are not strict; neutral to slightly alkaline, fertile soil is optimal. Root system is well developed; drought-tolerant but intolerant of waterlogging. Exhibits strong disease resistance. Grows on slopes or along ditches, in shrublands, or at forest edges, at low to medium elevations.
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