黄芩 huang qin

Scutellaria lanceolaria Miquel; S. macrantha Fischer.

Herbs perennial. Rhizomes fleshy, to 2 cm in diam., branched. Stems ascending, (15-)30-120 cm tall, much branched, subglabrous or antrorsely to spreading puberulent. Petiole ca. 2 mm, puberulent; leaf blade lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 1.5-4.5 × (0.3-)0.5-1.2 cm, papery, glab-rous or sparsely puberulent, abaxially densely impressed glandular, base rounded, margin entire, apex obtuse. Racemes terminal, 7-15 cm; basal bracts similar to stem leaves, upper ones ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, 4-11 mm, subglabrous. Pedicel ca. 3 mm, puberulent. Calyx ca. 4 mm, ca. 5 mm in fruit, densely puberulent outside, margin ciliate, glabrous inside; scutellum ca. 1.5 mm, ca. 4 mm in fruit. Corolla purple-red to blue, 2.3-3 cm, densely glandular pubescent outside, pubescent on saccate part inside; tube conspicuously bent near base, throat to 6 mm wide; middle lobe of lower lip triangular-ovate, ca. 7.5 mm wide. Nutlets black-brown, ovoid, ca. 1.5 × 1 mm, tuberculate, adaxially umbonate near base. Fl. Jul-Aug, fr. Aug-Sep.

Sunny grassy slopes, waste and cultivated areas; 100-2000 m. Gansu, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Jiangsu, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi [Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Russia]

Traditionally used as a febrifuge, for relieving fever, and diminishing inflammation. This is one of the most commonly collected species in China.