Xue Jie

Daemonorops draco (Willd.) Blume (Arecaceae) is a climbing rattan palm of Southeast Asia (Sumatra, Borneo, Malay Peninsula) with slender spiny stems several meters long that scramble through forest canopies, supported by spine-bearing whip-like cirri arising from the leaf sheaths. The ovoid scaly fruits exude a deep red resin between the scales; the fruits are harvested when ripe, vigorously shaken or steamed to dislodge the resin, which is then strained, melted, and cast into cakes or pieces known as 'dragon's blood' or Xue Jie in Chinese medicine. In TCM, Xue Jie is sweet and salty in flavor and neutral in nature, entering the Heart and Liver channels; it invigorates blood, dispels stasis, stops bleeding, alleviates pain, and promotes the healing of sores and wounds when applied externally.