Osbeckia chinensis
L.
Melastomataceae
Osbeckia japonica Naudin
Melastoma lineare Reinw. ex Blume
Osbeckia angustifolia D.Don
Osbeckia ciliaris Ser. ex DC.
Osbeckia decora Wall.
Osbeckia glabrata Benth.
Osbeckia kainantensis Masam.
Osbeckia linearis Blume
Osbeckia multiflora Blanco
Osbeckia myrtifolia Blume
Osbeckia perrottetii DC. ex Naudin
Osbeckia ridleyana Hosseus
Osbeckia sessilifolia Stokes
Osbeckia tenuis Buch.-Ham. ex G.Don
Osbeckia watanae Craib
Rhexia napaulensis Ser. ex DC.
Tristemma angustifolium Blume
Osbeckia pusilla Zoll. & Moritzi
Osbeckia boissieuana Guillaumin
Osbeckia parva E.T.Geddes
Osbeckia truncata strigosa Kuntze
Common Name:
General Information
Osbeckia chinensis is an erect, herbaceous perennial that sometimes forms woody stems and becomes shrub-like. It ranges in height from 20 - 100 cm tall[
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].
The plant is sometimes gathered from the wild for local use as a medicine.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
58- Title
- Flora of Japan. (English translation)
- Publication
-
- Author
- Ohwi. G.
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institution
- Year
- 1965
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader.
,
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
Range
E. Asia - China, Japan, India, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines to Australia.
Habitat
Grassy places in lowland areas of central and southern Japan[
58- Title
- Flora of Japan. (English translation)
- Publication
-
- Author
- Ohwi. G.
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institution
- Year
- 1965
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader.
]. Hilly places, edges of paddy fields and roadsides in China[
147- Title
- A Barefoot Doctors Manual.
- Publication
-
- Author
- ?
- Publisher
- Running Press; Philadelphica.
- Year
- 1977
- ISBN
- 0-914294-92-X
- Description
- A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.
]. Grasslands on mountain slopes, grassy areas on open slopes, sparse forests, trailsides; near sea level to 2,800 metres[
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].
Properties
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial |
| Height | 0.60 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Osbeckia chinensis is found mainly in subtropical climes, extending into the tropics. It can tolerate occasional, short-lived frosts with temperatures falling to around -4°c.
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
The whole plant is antitussive, expectorant and febrifuge[
147- Title
- A Barefoot Doctors Manual.
- Publication
-
- Author
- ?
- Publisher
- Running Press; Philadelphica.
- Year
- 1977
- ISBN
- 0-914294-92-X
- Description
- A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.
]. A decoction is used in the treatment of watery diarrhoea, dysentery and excessive sputum production in coughing[
147- Title
- A Barefoot Doctors Manual.
- Publication
-
- Author
- ?
- Publisher
- Running Press; Philadelphica.
- Year
- 1977
- ISBN
- 0-914294-92-X
- Description
- A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.
].
The plant is anodyne, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory[
2022- Title
- Indian Medicinal Plants; An Illustrated Dictionary
- Publication
-
- Author
- Khare C.P. (Ed.)
- Publisher
- Springer-Verlag Berlin/Heidelberg
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 978-0-387-70637-5
- Description
-
].
The plant contains the flavonoids quercetin, kaempferol and hydrolysable tannins, besides gallic acid, methyl
gallate and ellagic acid[
2022- Title
- Indian Medicinal Plants; An Illustrated Dictionary
- Publication
-
- Author
- Khare C.P. (Ed.)
- Publisher
- Springer-Verlag Berlin/Heidelberg
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 978-0-387-70637-5
- Description
-
]. The flavonoids and tannins showed antioxidant activity. Ellagic acid suppressed increase in lipid peroxidation induced by CCl4 and Cobalt-60 irradiation and this effect was more than that of alpha-tocopherol. Gallic acid showed anti-inflammatory activity against zymosan-induced acute footpad swelling in mice.[
2022- Title
- Indian Medicinal Plants; An Illustrated Dictionary
- Publication
-
- Author
- Khare C.P. (Ed.)
- Publisher
- Springer-Verlag Berlin/Heidelberg
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 978-0-387-70637-5
- Description
-
]
A decoction of the root is used to treat high blood sugar levels[
2188- Title
- The role of medicinal plants in the provision of health care in Lao PDR
- Publication
- Journal of Medicinal Plants Research Vol. 1(3), pp. 050-059, October 2007
- Author
- Deland C.O.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 1996-0875
- Description
-
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
