What kind of plant is Panax notoginseng?

Wild Panax notoginseng, also known as Spice thorn, Panax notoginseng, Panax

Wild Panax notoginseng is a perennial herb with prostrate rhizomes with nodules and sunken stem scars with massive fusiform roots. Stem scale persistent, leaves alternate, palmately compound, 3 whorls on top of stem, petiole 4-7 cm long, glabrous. Stipules ovate, leaflets 5, rarely 7, pinnately divided, lobes unequal, middle ones larger, ends smaller.

The umbels of Panax notoginseng are solitary at the top of the stem, with 50-80 flowers, pedicels 8-10 cm long, glabrous, calyx 5-toothed, glabrous. Flowers light green, petals 5, long ovate to long elliptic. Stamens 5, filaments as long as petals or slightly longer. Ovary inferior, 2-loculed, styles 2, United into 1, stigma slightly inflated and slightly curved. Drupe berry, globose reniform, red after maturity. Seeds 2, subglobose, white. The flowering period is from May to June and the fruiting period is from July to August.

Wild Panax notoginseng is mainly distributed in Maguan, Malipo, Pingbian and other places in southeastern Yunnan in the valley moist forest at an altitude of 1100 to 1700 meters above sea level, as well as in the old streets of northern Vietnam. The tuber root is usually dug in autumn, the sediment and fine roots are removed, dried or dried and preserved for medicinal use.

Wild Panax notoginseng is slightly bitter, sweet and warm, with the effects of dispersing blood stasis and hemostasis, reducing swelling and pain, mainly hitting injury, rheumatism, hemoptysis, trauma, bleeding, hematemesis, hematochezia, hemoptysis, weakness after illness, tuberculosis and so on. Take decoction or pill, powder or soak wine for external application, but pregnant women should take it cautiously.