If you would like to support this site, please consider Donating.
Useful Temperate Plants

Cnidium monnieri

(L.) Cusson

Apiaceae

+ Synonyms

Athamanta crithmoides Lapeyr.

Athamanta daucifolia Host

Athamanta pyrenaica Jacq.

Cicuta monnieri (L.) Crantz

Cicuta sinensis Zuccagni

Cnidium confertum Moench

Cnidium formosanum Y.Yabe

Cnidium microcarpum Turcz. ex Steud.

Cnidium mongolicum H.Wolff

Ligusticopsis mongolica (H.Wolff) Leute

Ligusticum minus Lam.

Ligusticum monnieri (L.) Calest.

Pinasgelon monnieri (L.) Raf.

Selinum densiflorum Salisb.

Selinum monnieri L.

Seseli daucifolium C.B.Clarke

Common Name: She Chuang Zi

No Image.

General Information

Cnidium monnieri is an annual plant producing a single, usually erect stem from a thin taproot around 2 - 3mm thick; the plant usually grows 10 - 60cm tall, occasionally to 80cm[
74
Title
Flora of the USSR.
Publication
 
Author
Komarov. V. L.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Israel Program for Scientific Translation
Year
1968
ISBN
-
Description
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
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.
].
Known as She Chuang Zi in Chinese medicine, where the plant has a long history of effective use in the treatment of skin conditions and a range of other diseases. The plant is also used as a flavouring in food. It is harvested from the wild for local use and for trade, and the plant is also cultivated both for medicinal use and as a food flavouring[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
].

Known Hazards

One report says that the plant is slightly toxic[
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.
].

Botanical References

50
Title
Flora Europaea
Publication
 
Author
?
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Year
1964
ISBN
-
Description
An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for Europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
,
74
Title
Flora of the USSR.
Publication
 
Author
Komarov. V. L.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Israel Program for Scientific Translation
Year
1968
ISBN
-
Description
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
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

Asia - western Siberia (Krasnoyarsk) to the Russian Far East, south through Mongolia, China, Japan and Korea to India, Bangladesh and Vietnam

Habitat

Field edges and the sides of ditches 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.
]. Riparian meadows and field margins in most of China[
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.
]. Damp inundated or solonetzic meadows, shores of lakes and rivers, weeds of fields[
74
Title
Flora of the USSR.
Publication
 
Author
Komarov. V. L.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Israel Program for Scientific Translation
Year
1968
ISBN
-
Description
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *  *  *
HabitPerennial
Height0.50 m
PollinatorsInsects
Self-fertileYes
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details


Judging by the plants native habitat it is likely to require a well-drained soil in a sunny position. One report says that it is an annual whilst another says that it is perennial[
50
Title
Flora Europaea
Publication
 
Author
?
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Year
1964
ISBN
-
Description
An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for Europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
,
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.
].

Edible Uses

The leaves are used as a condiment[
61
Title
A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
Publication
 
Author
Usher. G.
Publisher
Constable
Year
1974
ISBN
0094579202
Description
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
,
177
Title
Plants for Human Consumption.
Publication
 
Author
Kunkel. G.
Publisher
Koeltz Scientific Books
Year
1984
ISBN
3874292169
Description
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
,
183
Title
Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications
Year
1990
ISBN
0-9628087-0-9
Description
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
].
Young shoots[
179
Title
Famine Foods listed in the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao.
Publication
 
Author
Reid. B. E.
Publisher
Southern Materials Centre; Taipei
Year
1977
ISBN
-
Description
A translation of an ancient Chinese book on edible wild foods. Fascinating.
]. No further details are given, but some caution is suggested because of a report of slight toxicity.

Medicinal

She Chuang Zi has been used for thousands of years in Chinese herbal medicine. It is mainly used externally as a lotion, powder or ointment for treating skin conditions such as eczema, ringworm and scabies, and is also used to alleviate pain and inflammation, improve sexual potency, and to improve bone strength[
254
Title
The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
Chevallier. A.
Publisher
Dorling Kindersley. London
Year
1996
ISBN
9-780751-303148
Description
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.
,
1769
Title
Therapeutic Anabolic and Anticatabolic Benefits of Natural Chinese Medicines for the Treatment of Osteoporosis
Publication
Front. Pharmacol. 10:1344. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01344
Author
He J., Li X., Wang Z. et al
Website
http://10.3389/fphar.2019.01344
Publisher
 
Year
2019
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

The seed is antipruritic, aphrodisiac, antirheumatic, astringent, carminative, discutient, sedative, vermifuge and vulnerary[
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.
,
176
Title
Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas.
Publication
 
Author
Yeung. Him-Che.
Publisher
Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles
Year
1985
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent Chinese herbal giving information on over 500 species. Rather technical and probably best suited to the more accomplished user of herbs.
,
218
Title
Medicinal Plants of China
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S.
Publisher
Reference Publications, Inc.
Year
1985
ISBN
0-917256-20-4
Description
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
]. A decoction is used internally in the treatment of Trichomonas vaginitis, leucorrhoea and uterine displacement[
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 seed is also used in the treatment of impotence, often in conjunction with Schisandra chinensis[
254
Title
The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
Chevallier. A.
Publisher
Dorling Kindersley. London
Year
1996
ISBN
9-780751-303148
Description
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.
]. It has been shown to have an action similar to the sex hormones, prolonging and reviving the copulation period, increasing the weight of the uterus and ovary, prostate gland and testicle[
176
Title
Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas.
Publication
 
Author
Yeung. Him-Che.
Publisher
Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles
Year
1985
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent Chinese herbal giving information on over 500 species. Rather technical and probably best suited to the more accomplished user of herbs.
].
A decoction of the seed or whole plant is applied externally to skin problems including weeping eczema[
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.
].

Over 300 active compounds have been isolated from this plant and the main bioactive constituents appear to be coumarins compounds[
1769
Title
Therapeutic Anabolic and Anticatabolic Benefits of Natural Chinese Medicines for the Treatment of Osteoporosis
Publication
Front. Pharmacol. 10:1344. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01344
Author
He J., Li X., Wang Z. et al
Website
http://10.3389/fphar.2019.01344
Publisher
 
Year
2019
ISBN
 
Description
 
].
Further research has reported the potential application of this plant for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, cancer, and osteoporosis[
1769
Title
Therapeutic Anabolic and Anticatabolic Benefits of Natural Chinese Medicines for the Treatment of Osteoporosis
Publication
Front. Pharmacol. 10:1344. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01344
Author
He J., Li X., Wang Z. et al
Website
http://10.3389/fphar.2019.01344
Publisher
 
Year
2019
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Other Uses

An extract of the fruit is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a humectant and skin conditioner[
1243
Title
CosIng
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
CosIng is the European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients.
].
The powdered seed is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as an abrasive, a masking agent and a skin protector[
1243
Title
CosIng
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
CosIng is the European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients.
].

Propagation

Seed - we have no details for this species but suggest sowing it as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Alternatively, sow stored seed in late winter in a cold frame. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Cnidium+monnieri>

Add a Comment:

If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.