✵The article documents the herb Finger Citron, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavors, and botanical source—the single plant species Citrus medica L. var. sarcodactylis (Noot.) Swingle—followed by a detailed description of the botanical characteristics, growth habits, and ecological environment of this species; the morphological features of the herb Finger Citron; its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Fructus Citri Sarcodactylis (Finger Citron)
Pinyin Name: Fó Shǒu
English Name: Finger Citron
Latin Name:Fructus Citri Sarcodactylis Properties and Flavors: warm, pungent, bitter
Brief Introduction:Fructus Citri Sarcodactylis is the dried fruit of Citrus medica L. var. sarcodactylis (Noot.) Swingle. It is used to soothe the liver, regulate Qi, harmonize the middle burner, resolve dampness and phlegm, and treat liver Qi stagnation or spleen-stomach disharmony, as well as chronic cough with profuse sputum. The herb is commonly known as Fructus Citri Sarcodactylis, finger citron, or Fó Shǒu.
Botanical Source: Classical herbal works define Fructus Citri Sarcodactylis (Finger Citron) as the dried fruit of Citrus medica L. var. sarcodactylis (Noot.) Swingle. It is a species of the genus Citrus L., family Rutaceae (rue family), order Sapindales. This widely used species is described below:
(1) Citrus medica L. var. sarcodactylis (Noot.) Swingle.
Botanical Description:Citrus medica L. var. sarcodactylis (Noot.) Swingle. is commonly known as Fó Shǒu. It is a variety of Citrus medica. An evergreen shrub or small tree with irregular branches. Older branches are celadon (sage green); younger branches are slightly purplish-red, bearing short, hard spines up to 4 cm long. New shoots, buds, and flower buds are dark purplish-red. Leaves are alternate and simple; petioles are short (3–6 mm), unwinged, and lack articulations (nodes); leaf blades are coriaceous, oblong-oval or obovate-oblong, 5–16 cm long, 2.5–7 cm wide, with a blunt apex—sometimes emarginate (slightly concave)—a rounded or cuneate (wedge-shaped) base, and sinuate-crenate margins.
Flowers are solitary, fascicled, or arranged in racemes of up to 12 flowers; they are hermaphroditic. The calyx is cyathiform (cup-shaped), 5-lobed, with triangular lobes; there are 5 petals, 1.5–2 cm long, white on the inner surface and purple on the outer surface; numerous stamens (approximately 30–50); a pistillode is present; the ovary is elliptic with a narrowly pointed apex; the style is long and stout; the stigma is capitate. After flowering, the ovary rapidly divides and develops into finger-like segments during fruit maturation.
The fruit (hesperidium) is oval (egg-shaped) or oblong, with a fissured apex; it may be fist-shaped or deeply lobed, resembling fingertips—the number of lobes corresponds to the number of carpels. The surface is orange-yellow and rough; the pulp is primrose yellow (pale yellow). Seeds are few, oval (egg-shaped), with a pointed apex; some may be underdeveloped. Flowering occurs from April to May; fruit ripening (fructification) occurs from October to December.
Ecological Environment: This small tree grows in tropical and subtropical regions characterized by warm, humid, and sunny conditions. It is commonly cultivated on open hilly plains at elevations of 300–500 m above sea level, or on hillsides at 400–700 m, especially on hilltops. It is also grown in gardens and orchards.
Growth Characteristics:Citrus medica L. var. sarcodactylis Swingle prefers a warm, moist climate; it is intolerant of severe frost and drought but moderately tolerant of shade, aridity, and waterlogging. Its optimal growth temperature is 22–24 °C (71.6–75.2 °F); it survives winter safely above 5 °C (41 °F) and can withstand brief exposure to −8 °C (17.6 °F). Annual precipitation of 1,000–1,200 mm is ideal. It requires ample sunlight, with an annual sunshine duration of 1,200–1,800 hours. Cultivation is best carried out in deep, loose, fertile, humus-rich, slightly acidic sandy loam soils with good drainage.
Characteristics of the Herb: The herb is oval (egg-shaped) or oblong, with a front tip that splits into valves resembling a fist or finger; it is often wrinkled or curled, 6–10 cm long, 3–7 cm wide, and 0.2–0.4 cm thick. The outer surface is orange-yellow, greenish-yellow, or brownish-green, densely scattered with sunken pores; sometimes fine wrinkles are visible. The inner surface is off-white and bears yellow punctate (spotted) or crisscrossed vascular bundles. The herb is hard and crisp in texture but becomes soft upon exposure to dampness. It has an aromatic fragrance; the outer part of the pericarp (exocarp) tastes pungent and slightly acrid, while the inner part of the pericarp (endocarp) tastes sweet at first and then bitter.
Slices are 4–6 cm or 6–10 cm long, 3–6 cm wide, 1–2 mm thick, or 3 mm thick. The edge is green or yellow; the fruit pulp is white and exhibits either a faint yellow pattern or a conspicuous pattern. The texture of the slices is hard or soft and they break easily. The slices have a faint or light fragrance and taste sweet with a slight bitterness.
Medicinal Efficacy: Soothes the liver and regulates Qi, harmonizes the stomach and relieves pain, and resolves phlegm. It is indicated for stagnation of Liver-Qi and Stomach-Qi; distension, fullness, and pain in the chest and hypochondrium; Liver-Qi stagnation causing hypochondriac pain; epigastric fullness; gastric distension; stomachache; abdominal distension and pain due to Spleen- and Stomach-Qi stagnation; Liver-Stomach disharmony; poor appetite and vomiting; belching; nausea; choking sensation; phlegm-damp retention; cough and asthma; chronic cough with copious phlegm; and for neutralizing the effects of alcoholic beverages.
Administration of Fructus Citri Sarcodactylis (Fó Shǒu):
Reference:
Administration Guide for Fructus Citri Sarcodactylis (Fó Shǒu)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally: 3–9 grams; (2) Internally: water decoction, 0.8–3 qian (≈2.4–9 grams), or brewed as tea; (3) Internally: water decoction, 3–10 grams, or brewed as tea and consumed.
✵The article documents the herb Finger Citron, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavors, and botanical source—the single plant species Citrus medica L. var. sarcodactylis (Noot.) Swingle—followed by a detailed description of the botanical characteristics, growth habits, and ecological environment of this species; the morphological features of the herb Finger Citron; its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Fó Shǒu
Botanical Description: Citrus medica L. var. sarcodactylis (Noot.) Swingle. is commonly known as Fó Shǒu. It is a variety of Citrus medica. An evergreen shrub or small tree with irregular branches. Older branches are celadon (sage green); younger branches are slightly purplish-red, bearing short, hard spines up to 4 cm long. New shoots, buds, and flower buds are dark purplish-red. Leaves are alternate and simple; petioles are short (3–6 mm), unwinged, and lack articulations (nodes); leaf blades are coriaceous, oblong-oval or obovate-oblong, 5–16 cm long, 2.5–7 cm wide, with a blunt apex—sometimes emarginate (slightly concave)—a rounded or cuneate (wedge-shaped) base, and sinuate-crenate margins.
The fruit (hesperidium) is oval (egg-shaped) or oblong, with a fissured apex; it may be fist-shaped or deeply lobed, resembling fingertips—the number of lobes corresponds to the number of carpels. The surface is orange-yellow and rough; the pulp is primrose yellow (pale yellow). Seeds are few, oval (egg-shaped), with a pointed apex; some may be underdeveloped. Flowering occurs from April to May; fruit ripening (fructification) occurs from October to December.
Growth Characteristics: Citrus medica L. var. sarcodactylis Swingle prefers a warm, moist climate; it is intolerant of severe frost and drought but moderately tolerant of shade, aridity, and waterlogging. Its optimal growth temperature is 22–24 °C (71.6–75.2 °F); it survives winter safely above 5 °C (41 °F) and can withstand brief exposure to −8 °C (17.6 °F). Annual precipitation of 1,000–1,200 mm is ideal. It requires ample sunlight, with an annual sunshine duration of 1,200–1,800 hours. Cultivation is best carried out in deep, loose, fertile, humus-rich, slightly acidic sandy loam soils with good drainage.
Characteristics of the Herb: The herb is oval (egg-shaped) or oblong, with a front tip that splits into valves resembling a fist or finger; it is often wrinkled or curled, 6–10 cm long, 3–7 cm wide, and 0.2–0.4 cm thick. The outer surface is orange-yellow, greenish-yellow, or brownish-green, densely scattered with sunken pores; sometimes fine wrinkles are visible. The inner surface is off-white and bears yellow punctate (spotted) or crisscrossed vascular bundles. The herb is hard and crisp in texture but becomes soft upon exposure to dampness. It has an aromatic fragrance; the outer part of the pericarp (exocarp) tastes pungent and slightly acrid, while the inner part of the pericarp (endocarp) tastes sweet at first and then bitter.
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