description
Coptis is a perennial stemless herb of the Ranunculaceae family, 20–50 cm
high. Leaves basal, long petiolate; blade triangular-ovate, 3–8 cm long by
2.5–7 cm wide, ternatisect; leaflets pinnatifid, lobes incised, the terminal
leaflet longer than the others. Peduncles 1–2, 12– 25cm long, bracts
resembling leaves. Inflorescence a terminal cyme with 3–8 whitish green
flowers; sepals narrow-ovate, 9–12 mm long; petals small, oblanceolate,
5–7mm long; stamens numerous, 3–6mm long; carpels 8–12, with carpophores,
follicles many-seeded. Seeds with black crustaceous testa. Rhizome shaped
like a cockspur, 5–6 cm long, brownish yellow, densely covered with numerous
nodes and often with rootlets; interior yellow-orange; in transverse
section, the central pith deeper in color.
The entire plant is extremely aromatic.
common names & nomenclature
Coptis is from the Greek koptein "to cut off" in reference to the divided
leaves, chinensis is in reference to China where the plant is native.
Also known as:
chinese goldthread, ch’uan-lien, coptis, coptis rhizome, gold thread, huang
lian, huang-lien, huánglián, oren, perlenschnur, weilian, mishmi bitter