✵The article records the herb Common Bletilla Tuber, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavors, and its botanical source—the species (1) Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reichb. f.—with a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant, as well as the characteristics of the herb Common Bletilla Tuber, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Rhizoma Bletillae (Common Bletilla Tuber)
Pinyin Name: Bái Jí
English Name: Common Bletilla Tuber
Latin Name:Rhizoma Bletillae Properties and Flavor: slightly cold; bitter, sweet, and astringent
Brief Introduction:Rhizoma Bletillae is the steamed and dried tuber of Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reichb. f., used (1) as a hemostatic for treating hemoptysis, hematemesis, and traumatic bleeding, and (2) to reduce swelling and promote tissue regeneration in the treatment of boils and burns. It is commonly known as Rhizoma Bletillae, Common Bletilla Tuber, Common Bletilla Pseudobulb, Tuber of Common Bletilla, Tuber of Hyacinth Bletilla, or Bái Jí.
Botanical Source: Classical herbal works define Rhizoma Bletillae (Common Bletilla Tuber) as the steamed and dried tuber of Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reichb. f., a perennial herb belonging to the genus Bletilla Rchb. f., family Orchidaceae (orchid family), order Asparagales. This widely used species is described below:
(1) Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reichb.f.
Botanical Description:Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reichb. f. is also known as Limodorum striatum Thunb. and commonly called Bái Jí. A perennial herb, it grows 15–70 cm tall. The rhizome (pseudobulb) is triangular-oblate or irregularly rhombic, succulent, hypertrophied, and mucilaginous; several rhizomes are often connected. Stems are erect. Leaves number 3–5, lanceolate or broadly lanceolate, 8–30 cm long and 1.5–4 cm wide; apex is acuminate; base is decurrent with a long sheath.
Inflorescences are terminal racemes bearing 3–8 flowers; rachis length is 4–12 cm. Bracts are lanceolate, 1.5–2.5 cm long, and caducous. Flowers are purple or pale red (rose-colored), 3–4 cm in diameter. Sepals and petals are nearly equal in length, narrowly oblong, 2.8–3 cm long. The labellum is obovate, 2.3–2.8 cm long, white or marked with purplish veins; the upper part is three-lobed; lobe margins are undulate-serrate; apices are emarginate; five longitudinal lamellae occur centrally; lateral lobes are erect and clasp the column, extending toward but not exceeding half the length of the middle lobe. The stamen and pistil are fused into a gynostemium with narrow lateral wings; one stamen is inserted at the stigma apex; anther masses occur in four pairs, flattened and elongated. The ovary is inferior, terete (cylindrical), and twisted.
The capsule fruit is cylindrical, ~3.5 cm long and ~1 cm in diameter, tapering slightly at both ends, with six longitudinal ridges. Flowering occurs from April to May; fruiting from July to September.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows in moist habitats in mountains and valleys.
Growth Characteristics:Bletilla striata prefers a warm, humid climate and is not cold-tolerant. For cultivation, loose, fertile, well-drained, partially shaded, moist sandy loam, sandy soil, or humus-rich soil is recommended; poorly drained, heavy clay soils should be avoided.
Characteristics of the Herb: The rhizome is slightly irregularly oblate or rhombic, with two to three palmate divisions; occasionally four to five claw-like branches. Length: 1.5–5 cm; thickness: 0.5–1.5 cm. Surface color is ash-gray (grayish-white) or yellowish-white, with fine wrinkles and raised stem scars on the upper surface; lower surface bears traces indicating connection to adjacent tubers. Concentric tan (chocolate-brown) rings radiate from the stem scar; brown punctate fibrous root scars are scattered across these rings. Texture is firm and hard, not easily fractured. Fracture surface is off-white, translucent, and corneous, with scattered punctate vascular bundles visible. Coarse powder swells markedly upon contact with water, exhibiting a distinct slippery-sticky (mucilaginous) sensation; the aqueous extract is gelatinous. The herb is odorless; taste is bitter and mucilaginous when chewed.
Pharmacological Actions: (1) shortens the coagulation time and prothrombin time; (2) reduces the damage of acid to the gastric mucosa in rats; (3) antitumor activity; (4) antimicrobial effects.
Medicinal Efficacy: Astringent, hemostatic (to arrest bleeding), lung-tonifying, anti-inflammatory (to reduce swelling), granulation-promoting (to promote tissue regeneration), and wound-healing. It is indicated for hemoptysis (coughing up blood), hematemesis (vomiting blood), pulmonary hemorrhage due to lung injury, epistaxis (nasal bleeding or bleeding from the five orifices or subcutaneous tissues), hematochezia (passing blood in stool), traumatic bleeding, bleeding from incised wounds (e.g., metal-inflicted), ulcerative swelling, ulcers with pain, scalds from hot liquids or fire, thermal burns, chapped skin, rhagades of the hands and feet (chapped hands and feet), anal fissure, etc.
Administration of Rhizoma Bletillae (Bái Jí):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Rhizoma Bletillae (Bái Jí)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally: 6–15 grams; or prepare as finely ground herb powder and take orally, 3–6 grams. Externally: appropriate amount. (2) Internally: water decoction, 1–3 qian (≈3–9 grams), or prepared as pills or powder. Externally: grind into fine powder and apply topically by sprinkling or smearing. (3) Internally: water decoction, 3–10 grams; or as finely ground herb powder, 1.5–3 grams per dose. Externally: appropriate amount; prepare as finely ground herb powder and apply topically by sprinkling or smearing.
Contraindications, Precautions, and Adverse Reactions: Rhizoma Bletillae should not be combined with herbs of the Aconitum family, Prunus mume seed (plum kernel), or Prunus armeniaca seed (apricot kernel).
✵The article records the herb Common Bletilla Tuber, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavors, and its botanical source—the species (1) Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reichb. f.—with a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant, as well as the characteristics of the herb Common Bletilla Tuber, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Bái Jí
Botanical Description: Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reichb. f. is also known as Limodorum striatum Thunb. and commonly called Bái Jí. A perennial herb, it grows 15–70 cm tall. The rhizome (pseudobulb) is triangular-oblate or irregularly rhombic, succulent, hypertrophied, and mucilaginous; several rhizomes are often connected. Stems are erect. Leaves number 3–5, lanceolate or broadly lanceolate, 8–30 cm long and 1.5–4 cm wide; apex is acuminate; base is decurrent with a long sheath.
Inflorescences are terminal racemes bearing 3–8 flowers; rachis length is 4–12 cm. Bracts are lanceolate, 1.5–2.5 cm long, and caducous. Flowers are purple or pale red (rose-colored), 3–4 cm in diameter. Sepals and petals are nearly equal in length, narrowly oblong, 2.8–3 cm long. The labellum is obovate, 2.3–2.8 cm long, white or marked with purplish veins; the upper part is three-lobed; lobe margins are undulate-serrate; apices are emarginate; five longitudinal lamellae occur centrally; lateral lobes are erect and clasp the column, extending toward but not exceeding half the length of the middle lobe. The stamen and pistil are fused into a gynostemium with narrow lateral wings; one stamen is inserted at the stigma apex; anther masses occur in four pairs, flattened and elongated. The ovary is inferior, terete (cylindrical), and twisted.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows in moist habitats in mountains and valleys.
Characteristics of the Herb: The rhizome is slightly irregularly oblate or rhombic, with two to three palmate divisions; occasionally four to five claw-like branches. Length: 1.5–5 cm; thickness: 0.5–1.5 cm. Surface color is ash-gray (grayish-white) or yellowish-white, with fine wrinkles and raised stem scars on the upper surface; lower surface bears traces indicating connection to adjacent tubers. Concentric tan (chocolate-brown) rings radiate from the stem scar; brown punctate fibrous root scars are scattered across these rings. Texture is firm and hard, not easily fractured. Fracture surface is off-white, translucent, and corneous, with scattered punctate vascular bundles visible. Coarse powder swells markedly upon contact with water, exhibiting a distinct slippery-sticky (mucilaginous) sensation; the aqueous extract is gelatinous. The herb is odorless; taste is bitter and mucilaginous when chewed.
Pharmacological Actions: (1) shortens the coagulation time and prothrombin time; (2) reduces the damage of acid to the gastric mucosa in rats; (3) antitumor activity; (4) antimicrobial effects.
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