Fringed Pink Herb

Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Henan, Hebei, Northeast area.

Dianthus chinensis L.: stem is erect, round, with branches, 30~50cm long; intact leaf is strip-like lanceolate, 2~9cm long, 2~7mm wide, calyx tube is 1~2cm long, about 1/2 of whole flower; below the calyx is numerous small bracts, about 1/2 length of calyx, tip is gradually pointed like tail, imbricate; sometimes wrinkled petals can be seen, brownish-purple or brownish-yellow, tip of petal has shallow fissured teeth. Stem is hard and brittle, fractured surface has hollow center. faint odor, slightly sweet taste. Dianthus superbus L.: stem is cylindrical, 30~60cm long, joint is enlarged, externally pale green or yellowish-green, slightly lustrous, no hairs. Leaves often wrinkled, opposing, yellowish green, long strip-like lanceolate after flattened, 2~7cm long, 1~4mm wide; leaf tip is slightly rolled over, base is short sheath-like embraced the stem. Flower is brownish-purple or brownish-yellow, 3~4cm long, singular or fascicled growing; it have persistent calyx, calyx tube is 2.5~3.5cm, about 3/4 of whole flower; below calyx has small bract, which is about 1/4 length of calyx tube, tip is acute pointed or gradually pointed, externally has regular longitudinal lines, petal tip has deep lobes in fimbriae. Stem is hard and brittle, fractured surface has hollow center. faint odor, sweet taste.

Superior medicinal material is green, with closed flowers.

Bitter, cold

Promotes urination, frees strangury, breaks blood, frees channels. apply to Pyretic stranguria, bloody stranguria, stranguria caused by urinary stone, difficulty in micturition, dripping and pain during micturition induced by pyretic stranguria.