Forest-poppy
StarHylomecon japonica
Synonyms: Stylophorum japonicum, Chelidonium japonicum
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
In Chinese folk medicine and traditional practice the forest poppy (known as hua quan cao) is used: the whole plant is prepared as a remedy for stomach and abdominal pain and for rheumatic joint and muscle pain. The plant contains toxic isoquinoline alkaloids and is regarded as poisonous, so it is used with caution. No North American indigenous use is documented.
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Botanical Description
Hylomecon japonica, the forest poppy or wood poppy, is a delicate rhizomatous perennial herb in the poppy family (Papaveraceae), native to the temperate woodlands of eastern Asia including Japan, Korea, northeastern China and the Russian Far East, where it grows in moist, shaded deciduous forest, on humus-rich slopes and along stream banks. It arises from a slender, branching rhizome and reaches 15 to 30 centimetres tall, with soft, sparsely hairy stems that exude a yellow to orange latex when broken. The mostly basal, long-stalked leaves are pinnately divided into several ovate, sharply and irregularly toothed leaflets. In spring it bears solitary or few, bright golden-yellow, four-petalled flowers about 3 to 4 centimetres across on slender stalks, the petals broad and slightly overlapping around a central cluster of numerous stamens. The fruit is a narrow, cylindrical capsule that splits to release the seeds. The plant is grown as a shade-garden ornamental and, like other poppy relatives, contains alkaloid-rich latex.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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