American grape, an alien species

Phytolacca is a stout perennial herb belonging to Phytolacca. It can be seen in valleys, hillsides, forests and roadsides, while it is often born in wet lawn corners, buildings and garbage dumps in cities.

Phytolacca and its erect dense many-flowered racemes having a total peduncle of pink to purplish red, a perianth (which can be simply understood as "something like a petal") white or yellowish green, and its often green stems sometimes slightly purplish red. (source: commons.wikimedia.org)

Phytolacca is called amaranth in ancient times. There is a saying in Yi Yi [Guqiang]: "amaranth Lu Yun", Kong Yingda said: "Ma Rong, Zheng Xuan, Wang Suyun, amaranth Lu is a Phytolacca", which means that even if the root of amaranth is cut off, it will grow again as long as it is not cleaned up (in fact, this is a misunderstanding, it does not have such a strong ability of regeneration. It is speculated that it may be because its fruit fell into the soil just after the mother plant was dug up, which caused the ancients to misunderstand), and amaranth is also called Phytolacca.

In ancient times, Phytolacca was also known as "[zh ú]" [tantalum]. "Erya Shi Cao" reads: "Pony, ponytail." It means that "ponytail" is "ponytail", and "ponytail" is one of the aliases of Phytolacca. And Guo Pu has a cloud: "Kansai is called Yu, Jiangdong is called Danglu, that is, Phytolacca." It means that Phytolacca is called "Danglu" in Kansai, while it is called "Danglu" in Jiangdong.

In addition, Phytolacca can be called "Phytolacca", but not "Phytolacca", because "Phytolacca" is the ancient name of another plant. Xiaoya in the Book of songs: "I act in its wildness and pick its words." , "Zhuan": "Yue, bad food is also." , "Note": "Niuzhu [tu í] also." Lu Note: "Today people call it sheep's hoof." The plant name "sheep's foot" has been extended in the Flora of China. It is the common name of Rumex japonicus in Chinese. In ancient times, the root of Phytolacca was used as medicine. The root of Phytolacca was also used as medicine in ancient times because of its hypertrophy and ginseng. Because of the similarity here, the ancient name of Phytolacca was hung in the word "pokeweed".

From this point of view, this merchant Lu has existed since ancient times, and it should be a common variety. But it is a pity that it is not easy to see this kind of local Phytolacca.

At present, the Phytolacca we see has broad green leaves and dark purple fruits, strung together at the top and hanging down like a bunch of miniature grapes, not Phytolacca, but a vertical sequence of Phytolacca, also known as Phytolacca America. they are in their hometown as far away as North America, and since 1960 they have spread throughout Hebei, Shaanxi, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Henan, Hubei, Guangdong, Sichuan, Yunnan. Or escape (there are many escapes in Yunnan).

In fact, the difference between native Phytolacca and vertical order Phytolacca is very obvious.

The main results are as follows: 1. The fruit order of native Phytolacca is upright, while that of vertical Phytolacca is hanging down, so it is called Phytolacca.

2. Secondly, the petiole of native Phytolacca is green, while the stem of Phytolacca is red.

3. Phytolacca officinalis is poisonous, and it is a kind of poisonous plant, especially the fruit and rhizome. Mistakenly taking the rhizome (rhizome similar to ginseng) and fruit can cause poisoning.

4. The color of the fruit of Phytolacca acuminata is more attractive, and children especially like to play as toys, especially telling them not to eat.