Xiao Tong Cao

Stachyurus himalaicus Hook.f. et Thoms. (Stachyuraceae) is a deciduous shrub or small tree native to the Himalayas, southern China, and northern Indochina, reaching 3-5 m on forest margins and shaded slopes between 1000 and 3000 m. Its slender, reddish-brown branches bear alternate, ovate-lanceolate, finely serrate leaves 7-15 cm long with long-acuminate tips. Before the leaves expand in early spring, pendent, catkin-like racemes 5-10 cm long appear from the previous year's nodes, carrying many small, bell-shaped, pale-yellow flowers. The fruit is a small, fleshy berry. The pith of the stem (Xiao Tong Cao) is harvested and dried for use in traditional Chinese medicine to promote urination and lactation.