Fritillaria tortifolia
X.Z.Duan & X.J.Zheng
Liliaceae
Common Name:
General Information
Fritillaria tortifolia is a perennial plant growing from an ovoid bulb around 10 - 30mm in diameter and comprising of 2 - 3 scales; the flowering stem is around 20 - 40cm tall, occassionally reaching 100cm[
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.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
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
E. Asia - western China (northwest Xinjiang)
Habitat
Thickets, alpine grassy slopes; at elevations from 1,500 - 2,100 metres[
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.
].
Properties
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Bulb |
| Height | 0.35 m |
| Pollinators | Insects |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Fritillaria tortifolia is a plant of the temperate zone, growing in areas with cold winters and warm, dry summers. The plants are usually covered with snow in winter, with much of the moisture required for growth coming from the melt water.
This is a difficult plant to grow unless similar conditions to its natural habitat can be provided.
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
The bulb is used as folk medicine in Uygur medication[
2246- Title
- Traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of genus Fritillaria - a review
- Publication
- Bull Natl Res Cent (2021) 45:124
- Author
- Rashid I. & Yaqoob U.
- Website
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s42269-021-00577-z
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2021
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
We have no further information, but the bulb is almost certainly used as a form of Bei Mu in Chinese medicine particularly to treat a range of chest complaints, especially associated with coughing, and often combined with various other herbs. Conditions treated would include tuberculosis, coughs, bronchitis, pneumonia and asthma[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed -
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Temperate Plants Database 2016 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
