The efficacy and function of four-orange flowers

Everyone is familiar with the four-o'clock plant, of course some people are relatively unfamiliar with it. In fact, four-o'clock is a relatively common Chinese medicinal material. So what exactly does the four-leafed flower do?

[Source] Medicinal material source: the leaves and flowers of the Cornaceae plant.

[Original form] Deciduous small tree, 3-5m high. The bark is grayish white; the twigs are dark green and the young branches are covered with soft hairs. Leaves are opposite at the tips of short lateral branches; petioles are 5-10mm long, sparsely covered with brown soft hairs; leaf blades are papery or thickly papery, ovate or ovate-elliptical, 5.5-12cm long, 3.5-7cm wide, acuminate at the apex, broadly cuneate or rounded at the base, green above, pink-green below, and sparsely covered with white soft hairs on both sides. The head inflorescence is spherical, composed of about 40-50 flowers; the peduncle is 4.5-7.5cm long; there are 4 white bracts, almost glabrous on both sides; the calyx is tubular, 4-lobed at the top, with a circle of brown short soft hairs on the inner side of the calyx; there are 4 petals, yellow; there are 4 stamens, alternate with the petals; the ovary is inferior, 2-chambered, with 1 style, extending from the cushion-shaped disk and covered with white soft hairs. The infructescence is spherical, dark red when ripe, with a diameter of 1.5-2.5cm; the total fruit pedicel is slender, 5.5-9cm long, and nearly glabrous. The flowering period is June-July, and the fruiting period is September-October.

[Habitat distribution] Ecological environment: Growing in forests at an altitude of 600-2200m.

【Nature and flavor】 Bitter; astringent; cool

【Functions and indications】 Clears away heat and detoxifies; astringes and stops bleeding. Mainly used for dysentery, hepatitis, burns caused by water or fire, and bleeding caused by trauma

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decocted in water, 9-15g. For external use: take appropriate amount and mash it for application; grind it into powder and sprinkle or mix it for application.

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

Although the four-o'clock has many magical effects, it cannot be eaten casually. We need to use the medicine according to the user's own situation. I hope everyone will not take it indiscriminately to avoid unnecessary consequences.