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Solar terms
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The 24 solar terms contain the accumulation of the Chinese nation's long farming culture and history, and expound the unique concept of time between man and nature. The rotation of the four seasons in Beijing not only brings the ever-changing beauty of the natural world, but also confirms the wisdom and observation of the Chinese nation on the laws of nature embodied in the 24 solar terms.
In 2024, let us follow the time waves of the 24 solar terms, integrate the cultural connotation of the 24 solar terms, pursue the little secrets and stories handed down by thousands of years of natural scenery in the long river of history, look for the most typical characteristics of Beijing plants, trace the traces of Beijing plants, experience the ingenuity of landscaping, and feel the beauty around us.
valley
rain
In the wonderful nature, there are some small flowers that bloom silently, they are very inconspicuous, and they are not even known by name, but they don't care, they just bloom freely in nature at their own pace, blooming the colors of youth. Among them, some species resemble "twin sisters" and are easy to distinguish, such as 'Herbaceae' and 'Spotted Grass'.
▲ Annexed vegetables
▲Spotted grass
Maple Forest-kun photographed at Eagle Peak
Speaking of 'Herbaceae' and 'Spotted Grass', they do have many similarities: they bloom in spring, the flowers are small and mostly blue, the plant is clumped and hairy, the basal leaves have petioles on the lower leaves of the stem, the upper leaves of the stem leaves are nearly sessile, and the throats of the flowers have appendages. In terms of function, both can be used as medicine. In orchards and farmland, they are often cleared as weeds.
In terms of plant classification, both are one- and two-year herbs of the Comfrey family.
In this way, it is no wonder that people are confused.
However, as two species of the same family and different genera, the difference between the two is still obvious when you look closely.
▲Attachment plant (left) and spotted grass (right)
Plant classification
In terms of plant classification, Trigonotis peduncularis (Trev.) Benth) is a genus of herbaceae attached to the family of Comfrey, also known as chicken intestines ("Materia Medica"), chicken intestines ("Beilu") and pepper ("Guizhou Herbal Medicine") and so on.
斑种草(Bothriospermum chinense Bunge.) 为紫草科斑种草属,中药名山蚂蟥。
Origin and habits
It is native to the Eurasian temperate zone, with about 60 species in the world and 39 species in the mainland, mainly distributed in Yunnan and Sichuan, and also distributed in Northeast China, East China and South China. T. funingensis H. Chuang is endemic to China, distributed in Funing County, Jinping County and Napo County of Guangxi Province in Yunnan Province. Attached vegetables are light-loving, cold-tolerant, drought-tolerant, do not have high requirements for soil, and often grow in fields, roadsides, barren grasslands or sparse forests.
At present, there are about 6 species of Bothriospermum Bge. in the world, and Bothriospermum is endemic to China, distributed in Gansu, Shaanxi, Henan, Shandong, Shanxi, Hebei and Liaoning in China. In 2021, plant taxonomists discovered a new species based on the Beijing model, Bothriospermum longistylum Q.W. Lin & Bing Liu, which had been dormant in the herbarium in the form of specimens for 80 years. It is distributed at an altitude of 100-1600 meters above sea level, and is often mixed with purple flowers, prunus and solitary cabbage on the roadside, hillside grass and understory.
▲ Spotted grass and purple lily
▲ spotted grass and spotted plum
morphology
stalk
The stems of both are basal branches, and the whole is clustered. However, the whole of the herb is more delicate, the stem is often spread on the ground and hence the name, 5-30 cm high, pubescent, the stem of the spotted grass is erect, 20-30 cm high, dense or upward rough hairs, the prickly feeling is obvious.
▲ Annexed vegetables
▲Spotted grass
▲ Annexed vegetables
▲Spotted grass
Kano
The leaves of the ground are nearly entire, with fine pubescence on both sides, and the margins of the leaves of the spotted grass are wrinkled or nearly full, and the two sides are covered with stiff hairs and fuscular hairs.
▲ Attached vegetable stems, 叶
▲Spotted grass stems and leaves
Inflorescences and flowers
The inflorescence of the ground cauliflower is born at the top of the stem, elongates with the growth of the plant, is more pronounced in the later stage, up to 20 cm, usually occupies 1/2-4/5 of the stem, the corolla is small, pale blue (common) or pink, the tube is very short, the eaves are 1.5-2.5 mm in diameter, and the throat appendages are 5, white or pale yellow.
The inflorescence of the grass is 5-15 cm long, the outer calyx is densely covered with stiff and short hairs, the corolla is pale blue, the eaves are 4-5 mm in diameter, and the apex of the throat is 5 appendages 2-lobed and white. The color and fissures of laryngeal appendages are the most distinctive features that distinguish the epiphyllum from the spotted weed.
▲ Ground cauliflower inflorescences and flowers
▲ Inflorescences and flowers of spotted grass
▲ Attached rape flower
and laryngeal appendages
▲ spotted grass flowers
and laryngeal appendages
function
Medicinal
Both Herbaceous and Spotted Herb have important medicinal properties, but their effects differ.
The "Compendium of Materia Medica" records: "Attached ground vegetables are slightly pungent, bitter, flat, non-toxic", the whole herb is used as medicine, mainly for stomach pain, vomiting acid, vomiting blood, bruises and fractures. Guizhou folk often use local vegetables to treat numbness of hands and feet, chest and rib pain, while Qinghai people use it to treat colds, pleurisy, dysentery, stomach pain, vomiting acid, vomiting blood and bruises. Spotted grass is slightly bitter, cool, the whole herb is used as medicine, the main treatment is to clear heat and dampness, detoxify and reduce swelling, and can treat eczema, eczema, itching and other diseases.
▲ Understory attached vegetables
Tian Yelin was photographed at the Zhangzhen Collective Forest Farm
edible
附地菜含有Ca、Mg、Mn、Zn、Fe、Cu、Na 及 K八种人体必需的元素，全株嫩茎叶可食，味道鲜美，可做炒肉丝、鸡蛋汤等。
There is no record of edible herbs.
▲ Annexed vegetables
Xia Fang was photographed in Cuihu National Urban Wetland Park
ornamental
Although the flowers of the herb and the spotted grass are small, the flowering period is very early, and it can bloom from the end of March to the beginning of April in Beijing, and is often used together with natural wildflowers such as February orchid, dandelion, and plum to decorate the spring color in the harsh habitat, and become the native ground cover with ornamental value in nature.
▲Spotted grass
Xia Fang was photographed in Cuihu National Urban Wetland Park
▲Spotted grass
Zhang Zhixiang photographed at Eagle Peak
Photo丨Qin Helan
Typesetting丨Feng Binyi