title: [Pharmacognostic identification of medicinal Asteropyrum plants in China].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To offer evidences for quality control of medicinal Asteropyrum plants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pharmacognostic studies were made through field collection, market investigation, document utilization, comparative morphology and histology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The shape and properties, microscopic characteristics in root, rhizome, leaves were worked out.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Asteropyrum can be distinguished from close relative Coptis plants by microscopic and histology characteristics. Two species in Asteropyrum can also be identified by microscopic and histology characteristics, and the morphological and histology characteristics can be used as evidences for quality control of medicinal Asteropyrum plants.
authors.affiliation: Hubei College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan 430061, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Jia-chun
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xu-dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D039323:Coptis / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D010598:Pharmacognosy; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011786:Quality Control; D029626:Ranunculaceae / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013045:Species Specificity