Common Name:

General Information

Fritillaria unibracteata is a perennial plant growing from a bulb around 6 - 8mm in diameter and comprising of two scales; the flowering stem is around 15 - 40cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It is one of several species that are used as a source of the Traditional Chinese Medicine 'Chuan Bei Mu', which is primarily obtained from Fritillaria cirrhosa[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - southern central China (Qinghai, southern Gansu, Sichuan)

Habitat

Thickets, meadows; at elevations from 3,200 - 4,700 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Bulb
Height	0.30 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Fritillaria unibracteata is a plant of the temperate zone, growing in an area with cool summers and summer rainfall plus dry winters that can be cool or cold. Plants dislike high winter rainfall.
Grows best in a well-drained, humus-rich soil and a position under the protective shade of shrubs or deciduous trees.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The bulbs are used medicinally[].
The bulbs have been utilized to relieve coughs, and have long been used in Chinese medicine for their antiasthmatic and decongestant properties. They are included in the Chinese Pharmacopeia[].

This species is used in China as a source of the commonly used medicine 'Chuan Bei Mu'. These uses are summarized below:-
Chuan bei mu has a long history of medicinal use in Chinese traditional medicine and also in the traditions of several other countries in the Himalayan region. It is especially valued in the treatment of a range of chest complaints, especially associated with coughing, often combined with various other herbs[]. The bulbs are anthelmintic, antiasthmatic, antitussive, astringent, cardiac, demulcent, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge and pectoral[, , , , ]. They contain fritimine which lowers blood pressure, diminishes excitability of respiratory centres, paralyses voluntary movement and counters the effects of opium[, , ]. The dried bulb is used internally in the treatment of tuberculosis, coughs, bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma, feverish illnesses, abscesses etc[, ]. The bulbs also have a folk history of use against cancer of the breast and lungs in China[, ].
This remedy should only be used under the supervision of a qualified practitioner, excessive doses can cause breathing difficulties and heart failure[].
The bulbs are harvested in the winter whilst they are dormant and are dried for later use[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as ripe in a well-drained, sandy or gritty soil in a cold frame, it should germinate in the spring[]. Protect from frost[]. Stored seed should be sown as soon as possible and can take a year or more to germinate[]. Sow the seed quite thinly to avoid the need to prick out the seedlings. Once they have germinated, give them an occasional liquid feed to ensure that they do not suffer mineral deficiency. Once they die down at the end of their second growing season, divide up the small bulbs, planting 2 - 3 to an 8cm deep pot. Grow them on for at least another year in light shade in the greenhouse before planting them out whilst dormant.
Division of offsets in August[]. The larger bulbs can be planted out direct into their permanent positions, but it is best to pot up the smaller bulbs and grow them on in a cold frame for a year before planting them out in the autumn.
Bulb scales[].