天蓬子 tian peng zi

Scopolia sinensis Hemsley, J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 26: 176. 1890; Anisodus sinensis (Hemsley) Pascher.

Plants 0.8-1.5 m tall. Stems usually dark blue-purple. Petiole 1-4.5 cm; leaf blade elliptic to ovate, 11-22 × 4-12 cm, papery, glabrous, base cuneate, slightly decurrent, apex acuminate. Pedicel 1-2.5 cm, glabrous. Calyx papery, ca. 2 cm, glabrous, lobes deltate or rounded, erose or ciliate, glabrescent. Corolla yellow-green, ca. 3.2 cm, sparsely pubescent abaxially, pubescent adaxially at point of filament insertion; 1 lobe larger and semirounded, 2 lateral lobes deltate-rounded, remaining lobe rounded. Stamens included; filaments ca. 2 cm; anthers subcordate, 4-4.5 mm. Disc orange-red. Fruiting pedicel 3-3.5 cm. Fruiting calyx conical, ovoid, or oblong, 2.5-3 cm in diam., open at apex. Capsules 1.8-2 cm in diam. Seeds brown, ca. 3 × 2.5 mm, wavy-netted. Fl. Apr-Jul, fr. Aug-Sep.

* Humid places, along ditches, forests; 1400-3000 m. NW Guizhou, W Hubei, SE Sichuan, NE Yunnan

A source of tropane alkaloids, the roots are used medicinally for relieving muscular spasm and pain.