Saxifragaceae FAMILY

Bergenia purpurascens

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Bergenia purpurascens is an evergreen, perennial plant growing 13 - 50cm tall. It produces a cluster of basal leaves up to 16cm long from a thick, rhizomatous rootstock. The plant spreads slowly at the roots to form a colony[ 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. It is also harvested on a more commercial basis as a source of the medicinal compound bergenin. It is grown as an ornamental in gardens, where it can be used as a ground cover.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeE. Asia - southwest China, Himalayas of India, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar

HabitatOn rocks and open slopes; at elevations from 3,600 - 4,700 metres in the Himalayas[ 51 Title Flowers of the Himalayas. Publication Author Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Publisher Oxford Universtiy Press Year 1984 ISBN - Description A very readable and good pocket guide (if you have a very large pocket!) to many of the wild plants in the Himalayas. Gives many examples of plant uses. ]. Forests, scrub, alpine meadows and alpine rock crevices; at elevations from 2,700 - 4,800 metres in western China[ 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. ].