While walking along the Erziping Trail in Taiwan, a friend pointed to an unassuming, weed-like plant and said, “That’s a seven-leaves-one-flower.” The name struck me as odd, so I quickly jotted it down. Then she pulled out a one-thousand-dollar bill and pointed to an illustration on it—there it was, the same plant. That moment made me realize I had completely underestimated it. This plant, known scientifically as Paris polyphylla, is native to China, Taiwan, the Indian Subcontinent, and Indochina. It's named for its unique structure: a single flower emerging from the center of a circle of whorled leaves—often seven, hence the Chinese name “seven-leaves-one-flower.” Interestingly, the genus name Paris comes from the Latin pars, meaning “equal,” referring to the plant’s striking radial symmetry and the way its leaves, flowers, and fruits typically grow in multiples of four. The species name polyphylla means “many leaves.” In Nepal, it's affectionately called “Love Apple,” and it holds deep traditional medicinal value. Local communities have used Paris polyphylla for centuries, particularly to treat fevers, headaches, burns, wounds, and livestock ailments, especially to counteract poisons. According to the Chinese Baidu website, it is believed to clear heat and toxins, reduce swelling, relieve pain, and treat sore throats, snake and insect bites, and convulsions. From an overlooked trail-side plant to a symbol on currency and a treasured part of traditional medicine, Paris polyphylla holds far more significance than I initially imagined.
走在台灣二子坪步道時，一位朋友指著一株不起眼的野草狀植物說：「這是七葉一枝花。」這個名字讓我感到有些奇怪，於是趕緊記了下來。然後她掏出一張千元大鈔，指著上面的插圖──就是這株植物。那一刻，我意識到自己完全低估了它。這種植物的學名是 Paris polyphylla，原產於中國大陸、台灣、印度次大陸和印度支那。它因其獨特的結構而得名：一朵花從一圈輪生的葉子中心冒出——通常有七片葉子，因此得名“七葉一枝花” (別名蚤休、蚩休，重台根、整休，草河車，重台草，白甘遂，金線重樓，蟲蔞，九道箍、鴛鴦蟲，枝花頭，螺絲七、海螺七，燈台七，白河車，螺陀三七，土三七，又名七葉蓮)。有趣的是，屬名 Paris 來自拉丁語 pars，意為“平等”，指的是這種植物驚人的徑向對稱性，以及它的葉子、花朵和果實通常以四的倍數生長的方式。種名 polyphylla 的意思是「多葉」。在尼泊爾，它被親切地稱為“愛情蘋果”，具有深厚的傳統藥用價值。幾個世紀以來，當地居民一直使用這種植物，特別用於治療發燒、頭痛、燒傷、傷口和牲畜疾病，尤其擅長解毒。根據中國百度網站介紹，它被認為具有清熱解毒、消腫止痛、治療咽喉痛、蛇蟲叮咬和抽搐的功效。從一種被忽視的路邊植物，到貨幣上的象徵，再到珍貴的傳統醫學，重樓屬植物的意義遠遠超過我的想像。
Notes 筆記
- Paris polyphylla has many common names. It is native to China, Taiwan, the Indian Subcontinent, and Indochina.
- It is a perennial. It produces spider-like flowers that throw out long, thread-like, yellowish green petals throughout most of the warm summer months and into the autumn. In the fall, the flowers are followed by small, scarlet berries. Its leaves grow in a single whorl below a flower growing in two whorls.
- The generic name Paris is derived from the word pars, or equal, which refers to the symmetry of the plant and the multiples of four in which its foliage, flowers, and fruits grow. The specific epithet, polyphylla, means ‘with many leaves’. So in China it is called “seven-leaves-one-flower”. In Nepal it is called “Love Apple”.
- Paris polyphylla has been used by local inhabitants of Nepal traditionally since ancient times. They use it primarily for fevers and headaches, burns, wounds, and many livestock disease mainly to neutralize poisons. According to the Chinese Baidu website, it has the effects of heat-clearing and detoxifying, reducing swelling and relieving pain. It also can be used to treat swelling and pain, sore throat, snake and insect bites and convulsions.
- 七葉一枝花別名蚤休、蚩休，重台根、整休，草河車，重台草，白甘遂，金線重樓，蟲蔞，九道箍、鴛鴦蟲，枝花頭，螺絲七、海螺七，燈台七，白河車，螺陀三七，土三七，又名七葉蓮。原產於中國、台灣、南亞次大陸和中南半島。
- 它是一種多年生植物。多半在夏季直到秋季，它會生出蜘蛛狀的花朵，這些花朵有長長的線狀黃綠色花瓣。在秋天之後會生出小的深紅色漿果。它的葉子長在一個單輪的下面，一朵花長成兩輪。
- 俗名 Paris 源自 pars 或 equal 一詞，指的是植物的對稱性以及其葉子、花朵和果實生長的四倍數。種小名 polyphylla，是“有很多葉子”的意思。所以在中國被稱為“七葉一枝花”。在尼泊爾，它被稱為“愛蘋果”。
- 尼泊爾居民自古以來便使用七葉一枝花來治療發燒、頭痛、燒傷、傷口和為了中和毒物治療牲畜疾病。根據百度百科七葉一枝花有清熱解毒，消腫止痛，晾肝定驚之功效。用於疔瘡腫痛，咽喉腫痛，蛇蟲咬傷，跌撲傷痛，驚風抽搐。
References 參考資料
- Wikipedia: Paris polyphylla
- 維基百科: 七葉一枝花
- 百度百科: 七叶一枝花
- 健行筆記: 【小知識大發現】仟元鈔票上有哪些動植物，你知道嗎？
Plants Posts 植物的帖子
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