✵The article documents the herb Lily Bulb, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin Name, properties and flavors, and botanical sources—three plant species: (1) Lilium lancifolium Thunb., (2) Lilium brownii F. E. Brown ex Miellez var. viridulum Baker, (3) Lilium pumilum DC. It provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environments of these three species; the characteristics of the dried bulb scales (the herbal material); its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Bulbus Lilii (Lily Bulb)
Pinyin Name: Bǎi Hé
English Name: Lily Bulb
Latin Name:Bulbus Lilii Brownii Property and Flavors: Neutral; sweet, slightly bitter
Brief Introduction:Bulbus Lilii is the dried fleshy scale leaf of the bulbs of Lilium lancifolium Thunb., Lilium brownii F. E. Brown ex Miellez var. viridulum Baker, or Lilium pumilum DC. (family Liliaceae). It is used: (1) to nourish Lung Yin and relieve cough in consumptive diseases; and (2) to clear Heart Fire and calm the Shen for insomnia and restlessness in the late stage of febrile diseases with residual heat. The herb is commonly known as Bulbus Lilii, Lily Bulb, or Bǎi Hé.
Botanical source: Bulbus Lilii (Lily Bulb) is the dried fleshy scale leaf of the bulbs of Lilium lancifolium Thunb., Lilium brownii F. E. Brown ex Miellez var. viridulum Baker, or Lilium pumilum DC.—plants belonging to the genus Lilium L., family Liliaceae (lily family), order Liliales. The three commonly used species are described below:
(1) Lilium lancifolium Thunb.
Botanical Description:Lilium lancifolium Thunb. is also known as Lilium tigrinum Ker-Gawl. It is a perennial herb of the Liliaceae family (lily family) and the genus Lilium L. Common names include tiger lily, devil lily, easter lily, lanceleaf lily, Juǎn Dān, and Shān Bǎi Hé ("mountain lily"). Plants grow 1–1.5 m tall. Squamous bulbs are globose to oblate-spheroidal, 4–7 cm tall and 5–8 cm in diameter. Stems are erect, purplish (lilac), and covered with white woolly hairs. Leaves are lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 5–20 cm long and 0.5–2 cm wide, decreasing in size upward; upper leaves are often bracteal and bear purple-black bulbils in their axils.
Flowers (3–6 or more) are pendulous, grow near the stem apex, red-orange in color; flower buds are sometimes covered with white woolly hairs. Tepals are lanceolate and revolute (rolled inward); the inner surface is densely marked with purple-black spots. There are 6 stamens, shorter than the perianth; anthers are purple. The ovary is ~1.5 cm long; the stigma is 3-lobed and purple.
The capsule is oblong to obovate, 3–4 cm long, containing numerous seeds. Flowering occurs from June to July; fruiting from August to October.
Growth Characteristics: This species grows at altitudes below 2,500 m, along forest margins, roadsides, and grasslands on mountain slopes.
Characteristics of the Herb: Scales from Lilium lancifolium are 2–3.5 cm long, 1.5–3 cm wide, and 1–3 cm thick. The surface is creamy white or yellowish brown, bearing 3–8 longitudinal veins. The texture is hard and brittle, fracturing easily with a smooth, corneous, flat fracture surface. The herb is odorless and tastes slightly bitter.
(2) Lilium brownii F.E. Brown ex Miellez var. viridulum Baker
Botanical Description:Lilium brownii F. E. Brown ex Miellez var. viridulum Baker is also known as Lilium brownii var. colchesteri (Van Houtte) Wils. ex Elwes. It is a perennial herb of the Liliaceae family (lily family) and the genus Lilium L. Common names include Lanceleaf Lily Bulb, Greenish Lily Bulb, Greenish Lily, Bǎi Hé, Yè Hé Huā ("night lily"), and Bǎi Huā Bǎi Hé ("white-flowered lily"). Plants grow 70–150 cm tall. Stems bear purple stripes and are glabrous. Bulbs are globose, ~5 cm in diameter; bulb scales are widely spreading, nodose, and white. Leaves are scattered, with short petioles; upper leaves are smaller than middle ones. Leaf blades are oblanceolate to obovate, 7–10 cm long and 2–3 cm wide; apex acute, base cuneate and decurrent, margins entire, surfaces glabrous, with 3–5 prominent veins.
Inflorescence bears 1–4 fragrant, trumpet-shaped (tubular) flowers. There are 6 tepals, obovate, 15–20 cm long and 3–4.5 cm wide; mostly white, with the abaxial surface purplish brown and lacking spots; apices are recurved but not revolute. Nectaries bear small papillate protrusions on both sides. There are 6 stamens, forward-curved; filaments are 9.5–11 cm long and pilose; anthers are elliptic, versatile (T-shaped), with maroon pollen. The ovary is cylindrical, ~3.5 cm long; the style is ~11 cm long and glabrous; the stigma is 3-lobed.
The capsule is oblong, 5 cm long and 3 cm wide, with prominent ridges. It contains numerous seeds. Flowering and fruiting occur from June to September.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows on mountain slopes and in grasslands, on rocky substrates, or near village dwellings, at altitudes below 900 m above sea level. It is also cultivated.
Growth Characteristics: The plant prefers a cool, relatively dry climate and exhibits strong shade tolerance. It is cold-tolerant; the optimal growth temperature is 15–25 °C (59–77 °F). It is drought-tolerant but sensitive to intense sunlight and excessive rainfall. It is a long-day plant and benefits from full sun during the early and middle growth stages. For cultivation, select a sunny field with deep, loose, fertile, well-drained sandy loam soil. Avoid low-lying, waterlogged sites. Crop rotation is essential; avoid continuous cropping. Leguminous and graminaceous crops are suitable predecessors.
Characteristics of the Herb: The scales of Lilium brownii are oblong-ovate, with an acute apex, broad base, slightly undulate and inflexed margins, 1.5–3 cm long, 0.5–1 cm wide, and ~4 mm thick. They bear 3–5 veins, some inconspicuous. The surface is white or pale yellow, smooth and translucent. The texture is hard and brittle, fracturing easily to reveal a flat, corneous fracture surface. The herb is odorless and tastes slightly bitter.
Pharmacological Actions: (1) Inhibits ammonia-induced cough in mice; (2) Exerts protective effects against stress-induced injury and histamine-induced bronchoconstriction in toads.
Medicinal Efficacy: Moistens Lung Yin, relieves cough, clears Heart Fire, and calms the Shen. Indicated for: Yin deficiency with chronic cough; Cough with blood-streaked sputum; Residual heat after febrile diseases; Irritability, palpitations with fear; Restlessness, mental confusion, or wandering spirit; Beriberi (edematous or neurological forms); Edema.
Administration of Bulbus Lilii Brownii (Bǎi Hé):
Reference:
Administration Guide for Bulbus Lilii Brownii (Bǎi Hé)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally: 6–12 grams; (2) Water dedoction, 0.3–1 liang (9–30 grams), or steamed and taken directly, or prepared as congee; (3) Water decoction, 6–12 grams, or formulated into pills or powder; alternatively, steamed and taken directly or prepared as congee. External use: Apply an appropriate amount of fresh herb paste topically.
(3) Lilium pumilum DC.
Botanical Description:Lilium pumilum DC. is also known as Lilium tenuifolium Fisch. It is a perennial herb of the Liliaceae family (lily family) and the genus Lilium L., commonly called dwarf lily, narrow-leaved lily, or Shān Dān Bǎi Hé ("mountain dan lily"). Plants grow 20–60 cm tall. Bulbs are conical to ovate-oblong, 1.8–3.5 cm in diameter, covered by a thin membranous tunic; bulb scales are oblong to ovate-oblong, 2–3.5 cm long and 0.7–1.2 cm wide, and white. Stems are 15–60 cm tall, bearing minute papillate protrusions; some exhibit purple stripes. Leaves are scattered along the middle portion of the stem, sessile; leaf blades are linear, 3–10 cm long and 1–3 mm wide, glabrous, with an acute apex and attenuate base, and a single prominent midvein.
Flowers are solitary or arranged in racemes, terminal or axillary, and pendulous; color is bright red or purplish-red (prune-colored). There are 6 tepals, 3–4.5 cm long and 5–7 mm wide; inner perianth lobes are slightly broader and reflexed (curved backward); the perianth is ecarinate and spotless (or bears very few spots); nectaries bear papillae on both sides. There are 6 stamens, shorter than the perianth; filaments are 1.2–2.5 cm long and glabrous; anthers are oblong-ovate, ~1 cm long, yellow, with reddish pollen grains. The ovary is cylindrical, ~9 mm long; the style is ~1.52 times the length of the ovary; the stigma is inflated, ~5 mm in diameter, and 3-lobed.
The capsule is oblong, 2 cm long and 1.2–1.8 cm wide. Flowering occurs from July to August; fruiting from August to October.
Growth Characteristics: The plant grows at altitudes of 400–2,500 m above sea level, on mountain slopes, in forest understories, and on rocky outcrops.
Characteristics of the Herb: The scales of Lilium pumilum are ~5.5 cm long, ~2.5 cm wide, and ~3.5 mm thick, with a dark surface and inconspicuous veins.
✵The article documents the herb Lily Bulb, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin Name, properties and flavors, and botanical sources—three plant species: (1) Lilium lancifolium Thunb., (2) Lilium brownii F. E. Brown ex Miellez var. viridulum Baker, (3) Lilium pumilum DC. It provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environments of these three species; the characteristics of the dried bulb scales (the herbal material); its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Bǎi Hé
Botanical Description: Lilium lancifolium Thunb. is also known as Lilium tigrinum Ker-Gawl. It is a perennial herb of the Liliaceae family (lily family) and the genus Lilium L. Common names include tiger lily, devil lily, easter lily, lanceleaf lily, Juǎn Dān, and Shān Bǎi Hé ("mountain lily"). Plants grow 1–1.5 m tall. Squamous bulbs are globose to oblate-spheroidal, 4–7 cm tall and 5–8 cm in diameter. Stems are erect, purplish (lilac), and covered with white woolly hairs. Leaves are lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 5–20 cm long and 0.5–2 cm wide, decreasing in size upward; upper leaves are often bracteal and bear purple-black bulbils in their axils.
Botanical Description: Lilium brownii F. E. Brown ex Miellez var. viridulum Baker is also known as Lilium brownii var. colchesteri (Van Houtte) Wils. ex Elwes. It is a perennial herb of the Liliaceae family (lily family) and the genus Lilium L. Common names include Lanceleaf Lily Bulb, Greenish Lily Bulb, Greenish Lily, Bǎi Hé, Yè Hé Huā ("night lily"), and Bǎi Huā Bǎi Hé ("white-flowered lily"). Plants grow 70–150 cm tall. Stems bear purple stripes and are glabrous. Bulbs are globose, ~5 cm in diameter; bulb scales are widely spreading, nodose, and white. Leaves are scattered, with short petioles; upper leaves are smaller than middle ones. Leaf blades are oblanceolate to obovate, 7–10 cm long and 2–3 cm wide; apex acute, base cuneate and decurrent, margins entire, surfaces glabrous, with 3–5 prominent veins.
Botanical Description: Lilium pumilum DC. is also known as Lilium tenuifolium Fisch. It is a perennial herb of the Liliaceae family (lily family) and the genus Lilium L., commonly called dwarf lily, narrow-leaved lily, or Shān Dān Bǎi Hé ("mountain dan lily"). Plants grow 20–60 cm tall. Bulbs are conical to ovate-oblong, 1.8–3.5 cm in diameter, covered by a thin membranous tunic; bulb scales are oblong to ovate-oblong, 2–3.5 cm long and 0.7–1.2 cm wide, and white. Stems are 15–60 cm tall, bearing minute papillate protrusions; some exhibit purple stripes. Leaves are scattered along the middle portion of the stem, sessile; leaf blades are linear, 3–10 cm long and 1–3 mm wide, glabrous, with an acute apex and attenuate base, and a single prominent midvein.
URL QR code:
