Dog's spine fern cannot be sold: a man in Yangxi was sentenced for digging it up

Recently, a case about Yangxi a man illegally harvesting and selling 8 plants of the national second-class protected plant "yellow dog's spine," sparking heated discussion among netizens. It is understood that in this case the man was judged to have committed the crime of endangering nationally key protected plants, and was sentenced to two years of fixed-term imprisonment, a three-year suspended sentence, and a fine of 3000 yuan. What exactly is the "yellow dog's spine" plant, and why would someone be willing to take the risk of digging up "yellow dog's spine"? Let's learn about this national second-class protected plant together below.

"Yellow dog's spine," also known as the golden-haired dog fern, belongs to the family Dicksoniaceae and the genus Cibotium. Its stem and the raised base above the ground are covered with many golden hairs, and it feels just like a little dog when touched. In terms of appearance, unlike other ordinary ferns, it looks very much like a tree, so it is also called the "tree fern." 

The golden-haired dog fern originated as early as the Jurassic period, and is also a living fossil among plants. From spore to growing a few-centimeter seedling takes at least 3 to 5 years, so its entire growth cycle is very long, and in the wild it takes 10 to 20 years to mature.  It is generally mostly wild and rarely artificially cultivated, and it has very high requirements for its growing environment.

All species in the family Dicksoniaceae, to which the golden-haired dog fern belongs, are national second-class protected plants, and the reason it is targeted by lawbreakers is mainly because it is recorded in the Shennong Bencao Jing that it has extremely high medicinal value and can be used to tonify the liver and kidneys, strengthen the waist and knees, eliminate wind-dampness, strengthen bones and muscles, promote urination, and treat strangury, among other effects. Its rhizome is also the famous Chinese medicinal material dog's spine. It tastes bitter and sweet and is warm in nature, belonging to the wind-dampness-dispelling category of medicinal materials, and the hairs on the stem can also stop bleeding.

Having read this, everyone should recognize it now. No buying and selling, no harm. Knowing endangered national plants is protecting them and also protecting ourselves.