Ba ji tian

Radix Morindae Officinalis (Bajitian) Morinda Root Morinda Root is the dried root of Morinda officinalis How (Fam. Rubiaceae). The drug is collected all the year round, removed from rootlet, dried in the sun partially, beaten gently to be compressed, and then dried in the sun. Description Compressed-cylindrical, somewhat curved, varying in length, 0.5-2 cm in diameter. Externally greyish-yellow or dark grey, with longitudinal wrinkles and transverse cracks, some bark transversely broken and separated from wood. Texture tough, fracture bark thick, purple or purplish, easily separated from wood. Wood hard, yellowish-brown or yellowish-white, 1-5 mm in diameter. Odourless; taste, sweetish and slightly astringent. Identification Transverse section: Cork of several rows of cells. Stone cells single or several in groups in the outer part of cortex, interruptedly arranged in a ring. Parenchymatous cells containing raphides of calcium oxalate, arranged tangentially. Phloem broad, parenchymatou