Chinese Rice-paper-plant
Tetrapanax papyrifer
Ginseng family (Araliaceae)
The stories related to this plant are still being edited.
Themes
The pollen from the flowers of the plant are said to aid hemorrhoids, the stem is said to act as a sedative in addition to being used for coughs and bronchitis. The pith paper itself has occasionally been used as surgical dressing because ability to absorb fluids. It aids the secretions, stops diarrhoea and excess of urine, and helps the expectorations. A tincture of the burnt stalks reduced to powder is good for lockjaw.
The inner pith of the stems is used to make 'rice paper'. The paper is made by cutting thin slivers from long sections of the pith. It is used for painting on, making toys, flowers and surgical dressings.
Wordt door bijen bestoven.
Details
Description: | Tree, shrub, 3-7 m tall, bearing a rosette of large leaves at the top. |
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Distributions: | Southern china, taiwan |
Habitat: | Mixed thickets; 100-2800 m in altitude. |
Year cycle: | Perennial (polycarpic evergreen) |
Hardiness: | 23 - 34 f (half-hardy - unheated glasshouse/mild winter) |
Flower color: | White, yellow |
Notes on flowers: | Inflorescence terminal, peduncles 1-1.5 cm; umbels 1-2 cm in diameter, many flowered; flowers yellowish white. |
Fruit color: | Purple |
Notes on fruits: | Fruit dark purple at maturity, globose, ca. 4 mm in diameter. |