黄苞大戟 huang bao da ji

Euphorbia chrysocoma H. Léveillé & Vaniot; E. chrysocoma var. glaucophylla H. Léveillé & Vaniot.

Herbs, 20-80 cm tall. Root terete, 20-40 cm × 3-5 mm. Stems single or clustered, 3-4 mm thick, mostly unbranched, glabrous. Leaves alternate, all but lowermost uniform in size; stipules absent; petiole very short to almost absent; leaf blade narrowly ovate to oblong-elliptic, 6-10 × 1-2 cm, glabrous, base attenuate, margin entire, apex obtuse; midrib prominent on both surfaces, lateral veins slender, branching well before margin. Inflorescence a terminal pseudumbel; primary involucral leaves and rays 5, involucral leaves and cyathophylls yellow, leaves long elliptic to ovate-elliptic, somewhat unequal, 4-7 × 0.8-1.2 cm, base subrounded or triangular-rounded, apex obtuse, primary rays 0.8-1.4 cm; secondary involucral leaves usually 3, ovate, 1-2 × 0.6-1 cm; cyathophylls 2, ovate, 1-1.3 × 1-1.2 cm, base and apex rounded. Cyathium stipe 2-3 mm; involucre campanulate, ca. 3.5 × 3.5 mm, lobes rounded, white pilose inside; glands 4, brown, rounded. Male flowers many, slightly exserted from involucre. Female flower: ovary pedicellate and extended out of cup, smooth, glabrous; styles free, caducous; style arms 2-lobed. Capsule globose, ca. 5 × 5 mm, smooth, glabrous. Seeds ovoid-globose, ca. 3 × 2 mm, gray or dark gray, adaxially white striate; caruncle peltate, yellow or light yellow, sessile. Fl. Apr-Jul.

Meadow steppes to alpine meadows, sparse forests, scrub; 600-4500 m. Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan [Bhutan, India (Sikkim), Myanmar, Nepal].

The root is used medicinally.