What Plant Is Ophiopogon japonicus? A Detailed Explanation of Its Family, Genus, and Morphological Characteristics

Ophiopogon japonicus is a perennial evergreen herbaceous plant of the genus Ophiopogon in the family Liliaceae. Its roots are relatively thick, and the middle or near the end often swells into small oval or spindle-shaped tuberous roots. The stem is very short, the leaves grow in a basal clump and are grass-like, the bracts are lanceolate with acuminate tips, the seeds are spherical, the flowering period is from May to August, and the fruiting period is from August to September.

Morphological Characteristics

The roots are relatively thick, and the middle or near the end often swells into small oval or spindle-shaped tuberous roots; the small tuberous roots are 1-1.5 cm long, or somewhat longer, 5-10 mm wide, and light brownish yellow; the underground stolons are slender, 1-2 mm in diameter, with membranous sheaths at the nodes. The stem is very short, the leaves grow in a basal clump and are grass-like, 10-50 cm long, a few longer, 1.5-3.5 mm wide, with 3-7 veins, and the margins have fine serrations.

The flowering scape is 6-15 (-27) cm long, usually much shorter than the leaves; the raceme is 2-5 cm long, or sometimes somewhat longer, with several to more than ten flowers; the flowers are solitary or paired in the axils of the bracts; the bracts are lanceolate with acuminate tips, and the lowest one can reach 7-8 mm long; the pedicels are 3-4 mm long, with the joint located above the middle or near the middle; the tepals often droop slightly and do not spread open, are lanceolate, about 5 mm long, white or pale purple; the anthers are triangular-lanceolate, 2.5-3 mm long; the style is about 4 mm long, relatively thick, about 1 mm wide, broad at the base and gradually narrowed upward. The seeds are spherical, 7-8 mm in diameter. The flowering period is from May to August, and the fruiting period is from August to September.

Therefore, the plant's habit varies considerably, for example, the density of the leaf clump and the width and length of the leaves are sometimes noticeably different; however, the structure of its flowers does not vary much, especially since the tepals only open slightly when the flower is in full bloom, and the base of the style is broad, generally somewhat thick and short, and slightly conical, which are very consistent traits and are the main characteristics for identifying this species.

Plant Culture

Ophiopogon japonicus is a top-grade medicinal recorded in Shennong Bencao Jing, China's first pharmacological work, and it is also a health-promoting tonic that has long been called a top-grade product born on the steps. The date-pit-shaped medicinal material with which we are familiar comes from its fleshy tubers. In Yuzhou, Henan, Ophiopogon japonicus is called “Yu Jiu” by the people.

There is a legend about the origin of the name Yu Jiu: after Yu the Great succeeded in taming the waters, the crops in the fields yielded a bumper harvest, and the grain produced by the common people was more than they could eat, so Yu the Great ordered the surplus grain to be poured into the river, and a kind of grass grew in the river, namely Ophiopogon japonicus. People called this grass “Yu Yu Liang”. Because this grass is produced in Yuzhou, and its leaves are narrow and slender, resembling chives, it was called “Yu Jiu” and “Yu Xia”. This grass has the effects of “nourishing yin and promoting fluid production, moistening the lungs and stopping cough, and clearing the heart and relieving restlessness”, so it is also called the “herb of immortality”. Modern research results show that Ophiopogon japonicus can improve myocardial contractility and has a protective effect on myocardial cells. Shengmai San, a medicinal preparation with it as the main ingredient, can to a certain extent achieve the effects of “generating the pulse” or “restoring the pulse”.