✵The article records the herb Persimmon Calyx, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor, botanical source—namely the single plant species (1) Diospyros kaki Thunb.—and provides a detailed description of the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this species; the characteristics of the herb Persimmon Calyx; its pharmacological actions; medicinal efficacy; and administration guidelines.
Calyx Kaki (Persimmon Calyx)
Pinyin Name: Shì Dì
English Name: Persimmon Calyx
Latin Name:Calyx Kaki Properties and Flavor: Neutral; bitter, astringent
Brief Introduction:Calyx Kaki is the dried persistent calyx of Diospyros kaki Thunb., used to direct Qi downward and arrest hiccup. The herb is commonly known as Calyx Kaki, Persimmon Calyx, or Shì Dì.
Botanical Source: Classical herbal works define Calyx Kaki (Persimmon Calyx) as the dried persistent calyx of (1) Diospyros kaki Thunb., a deciduous tree in the genus Diospyros L. of the family Ebenaceae (persimmon or ebony family), order Ebenales. This widely accepted species is described below:
(1) Diospyros kaki Thunb.
Botanical Description:Diospyros kaki Thunb. is commonly known as Shì. It is a deciduous large tree (megaphanerophyte), typically reaching 10–14 m in height, though mature specimens may exceed 14 m. The diameter at breast height (DBH)—measured 1.3 m above ground—may reach 65 cm; exceptionally old trees attain heights up to 27 m. Bark is charcoal gray to grayish-black, or yellowish-gray-brown to brown, with rectangular fissures. The crown is spherical or oblong; mature crowns span is 10–13 m in diameter and may reach 18 m in height.
Branches are spreading, greenish to brown, glabrous, bearing scattered oblong or narrowly oblong, dark brown lenticels. Young shoots are initially pubescent, brown pilose or tomentose, rarely glabrous. Winter buds are small, ovate, 2–3 mm long, with an obtuse apex.
Leaves are simple, alternate, and chartaceous (papery); petioles are 8–20 mm long, glabrous, with shallow longitudinal grooves. Leaf blades are ovate-elliptic to obovate or suborbicular—often broadly oval—5–18 cm long and 2.8–9 cm wide. The apex is acuminate or obtuse; the base is broadly cuneate or blunt, rarely cordate; margins are entire. The upper surface is dark green, with the midvein sparsely pilose; the lower surface is pale green, pubescent, and densely covered with brown tomentum along the veins.
Flowers are polygamous. Male flowers form cymose inflorescences; female flowers are solitary and axillary. Peduncles are ~5 mm long and bear bracteoles (bractlets). The calyx tube is short and terete, 4-lobed; the inner surface is pilose. The corolla is yellowish-white and campanulate (bell-shaped), also 4-lobed. Male flowers possess 16 stamens; hermaphroditic flowers have 8–16 stamens; female flowers bear 8 staminodes. The ovary is superior, 8-locular; the style is free from the base.
Fruits are berries, variable in shape but predominantly ovoid, 3.5–8 cm in diameter, orange-yellow to canary-yellow (bright yellow), with persistent sepals (calyx lobes) at the base. Seeds are brown and elliptic. Flowering occurs in May; fruiting occurs from September to October.
The persimmon tree is a deep-rooted, heliophilous (sun-loving) species. It thrives in warm climates with abundant sunshine and prefers deep, fertile, moist, well-drained soils—ideally neutral to slightly acidic. It exhibits moderate cold tolerance and good drought resistance but is intolerant of saline-alkaline soils. Most grafted cultivars begin fruiting 3–4 years after grafting, reach full production at 10–12 years, and remain productive for over 100 years; seedling-grown trees typically begin fruiting at 5–7 years.
Ecological Environment: Native to China, the species is widely cultivated there and has been introduced and naturalized across East Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania, France, the United States of America, and other regions.
Growth Characteristics:Diospyros kaki exhibits strong environmental adaptability and can be grown on hillsides and marginal land. Due to its deep taproot system and relatively few fibrous roots, it performs best in deep soil profiles—particularly weakly acidic, sandy loam. Optimal planting sites include courtyards or gentle slopes with good moisture retention, fertility, and light exposure. Irrigation access is essential where rainfall is insufficient. Recommended plantation size ranges from 10–50 mu to facilitate effective management. When planting in fixed trenches, orientation should run north–south to maximize light interception and air circulation.
Characteristics of the Herb: The persistent calyx of the herb is nearly discoid (nearly disc-shaped) or oblate; the apex is 4-lobed, with lobes that are broadly triangular, mostly outwardly reflexed or broken and incomplete; it bears longitudinal veins; the calyx tube is thickened, explanate, and nearly square, measuring 1.5–2.5 cm in diameter; the surface is reddish brown and sparsely covered with short hairs; a short carpopodium (fruit stalk) or a circular, concave fruit-stalk scar is present at the center. The inner surface is yellowish brown, densely covered with rust-colored, short, radially arranged pubescence, glossy, and bears a round, protuberant scar at the center where the fruit detached. The lobes are brittle and easily fractured, whereas the calyx tube is firm, hard, and ligneous (woody). The herb is light, has a slight odor, and tastes puckery.
Pharmacological Actions: (1) anti-ventricular fibrillation in mice and anti-arrhythmic effects in rats; (2) anti-fertility effects in rabbits; etc.
Medicinal Efficacy: Calms rebellious Qi and directs Qi downward. Indicated for hiccup, retching, belching, and regurgitation.
Administration of Calyx Kaki (Shì Dì):
Reference:
Administration Guide for Calyx Kaki (Shì Dì)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally: 4.5–9 grams; (2) Internally: water decoction, 2–4 qian (≈6–12 grams), or prepared as pills or powder; (3) Internally: water decoction, 5–10 grams, or prepared as powder. External use: appropriate amount, ground into fine powder and applied topically.
✵The article records the herb Persimmon Calyx, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor, botanical source—namely the single plant species (1) Diospyros kaki Thunb.—and provides a detailed description of the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this species; the characteristics of the herb Persimmon Calyx; its pharmacological actions; medicinal efficacy; and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Shì Dì
Botanical Description: Diospyros kaki Thunb. is commonly known as Shì. It is a deciduous large tree (megaphanerophyte), typically reaching 10–14 m in height, though mature specimens may exceed 14 m. The diameter at breast height (DBH)—measured 1.3 m above ground—may reach 65 cm; exceptionally old trees attain heights up to 27 m. Bark is charcoal gray to grayish-black, or yellowish-gray-brown to brown, with rectangular fissures. The crown is spherical or oblong; mature crowns span is 10–13 m in diameter and may reach 18 m in height.
Leaves are simple, alternate, and chartaceous (papery); petioles are 8–20 mm long, glabrous, with shallow longitudinal grooves. Leaf blades are ovate-elliptic to obovate or suborbicular—often broadly oval—5–18 cm long and 2.8–9 cm wide. The apex is acuminate or obtuse; the base is broadly cuneate or blunt, rarely cordate; margins are entire. The upper surface is dark green, with the midvein sparsely pilose; the lower surface is pale green, pubescent, and densely covered with brown tomentum along the veins.
Flowers are polygamous. Male flowers form cymose inflorescences; female flowers are solitary and axillary. Peduncles are ~5 mm long and bear bracteoles (bractlets). The calyx tube is short and terete, 4-lobed; the inner surface is pilose. The corolla is yellowish-white and campanulate (bell-shaped), also 4-lobed. Male flowers possess 16 stamens; hermaphroditic flowers have 8–16 stamens; female flowers bear 8 staminodes. The ovary is superior, 8-locular; the style is free from the base.
The persimmon tree is a deep-rooted, heliophilous (sun-loving) species. It thrives in warm climates with abundant sunshine and prefers deep, fertile, moist, well-drained soils—ideally neutral to slightly acidic. It exhibits moderate cold tolerance and good drought resistance but is intolerant of saline-alkaline soils. Most grafted cultivars begin fruiting 3–4 years after grafting, reach full production at 10–12 years, and remain productive for over 100 years; seedling-grown trees typically begin fruiting at 5–7 years.
Characteristics of the Herb: The persistent calyx of the herb is nearly discoid (nearly disc-shaped) or oblate; the apex is 4-lobed, with lobes that are broadly triangular, mostly outwardly reflexed or broken and incomplete; it bears longitudinal veins; the calyx tube is thickened, explanate, and nearly square, measuring 1.5–2.5 cm in diameter; the surface is reddish brown and sparsely covered with short hairs; a short carpopodium (fruit stalk) or a circular, concave fruit-stalk scar is present at the center. The inner surface is yellowish brown, densely covered with rust-colored, short, radially arranged pubescence, glossy, and bears a round, protuberant scar at the center where the fruit detached. The lobes are brittle and easily fractured, whereas the calyx tube is firm, hard, and ligneous (woody). The herb is light, has a slight odor, and tastes puckery.
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