A family bond as pure and clear as the skeleton flower, always quietly hidden

Skeleton flower is also called Jin Kuilian and Han Bajiao, and belongs to the Berberidaceae (Berberis) family. It blooms in late spring, with buds emerging from the junction of two leaf stalks, often in clusters of several, and the drooping buds open into purplish-red flowers. Its distinctive shield-shaped, palm-like leaves are the mark by which it is recognized; to see whether buds are opening, look for whether there are two leaves! The growing environment of Bajiaolian is distributed from 1000 m to 2500 m above sea level, commonly found in shady, damp broad-leaved forests. It is a Chinese herbal medicine commonly used among the people; when used medicinally it can disperse wind and remove phlegm, disinfect and reduce swelling, and kill insects. It has a special detoxifying effect and can treat snake bites, and it has now been listed as a nationally protected plant.

Skeleton flower

Perennial herb, up to 50 cm tall. The rhizome is creeping and stout, bearing mortar-shaped scars left after old stems died back, arranged in a continuous row and forming nodules; older rhizomes have more than ten such mortar-like hollows, with many fibrous roots growing beneath. The stem is upright, unbranched, slightly pubescent. Basal leaves 1, with a long stalk; cauline leaves 2, alternate, flatly round-kidney-shaped. White flowers open in summer, in a compound cyme at the tip. The berry is oval or spherical, blue-black, hairless, with a white bloom, containing several seeds.

Skeleton flower

When its petals meet water, the petals become transparent. The veins on the petals can be seen, so it is called skeleton flower.

Skeleton flower

[Aliases] A'erqi, Wo'erqi, Hanhe, Yiwanshui [Shaanxi], Daobogengzi (Jilin)

[Functions and indications] Invigorate blood and resolve stasis, detoxify and reduce swelling. Used for traumatic injury, rheumatic muscle and bone pain, irregular menstruation, and lower abdominal pain; for external use, treats venomous snake bites and carbuncles, boils and swellings.