Disporum uniflorum

Disporum uniflorum, commonly known as yellow fairy bells, is a species of perennial herb in the genus Disporum. It is native to Korea.

Description

It is 30-50 cm tall, with a short rhizome and a root that spread sideways, and its large branches spring out from the top. Its leaves are opposite and has a long, oval shape, 5-18 cm in length and 3-6 cm wide, with a pointed tip and a round bottom, with 3-5 veins and no petiole. From April to June, its flowers bloom in gold and white, and 1-3 flowers hang down from the tip as the stem bends. For the flower, it is 2-2.5 cm long, with a tubular perianth. The perianth has 6 leaflets, spatulate and tubular. There are 6 stamens and 1 pistil, and the fruit is a berry, about 1 cm in diameter, and turns black when ripe.

Distribution

It is distributed in Korea and China. It can be found in mountain forests in the central and southern parts of the Korea peninsula, but not Ulleungdo and Jeju Island.
In China, it can be found in the provinces of Liaoning, Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hubei, Shaanxi and Sichuan.

Usage

In Korea, the plant is called yunpannamul. Because the shape of the flowers resembled botak, a large wind chime hung on the corners of a temple, the plant is also called botakcho. Its young shoots, harvested before the flowers bloom, are eaten as vegetable dishes called namul, while its roots and rhizomes are used in traditional Korean medicine to treat coughing and indigestion as well as the lungs. Besides that, it is planted for ornamental purposes.