title: [Microscopic identification of tibetan medicinal herb "Songdi" (Saxifraga umbellulata var pectinata)].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish a method of microscopic identification of Tibetan medicinal herb " Songdi" (Saxifraga umbellulata var. pectinata).
  
  
  METHODS
  The different characteristics and microscopic identification of 4 species of Songdi were compared, including the main variety (Saxifraga umbellulata var. pectinata ) and approximate varieties (S. unguiculata, S. przewalskii and S. tanguTi,) were studied and compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The botanical anatomy characteristics of Saxifraga umbellulata var. pectinata (including roots, stems, leaves, flowers, stalks and fruits) have been measured. The methods for powder identifications and transverse section of stems root and leaves of four species of Songdi were established.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Four species of Songdi can be identified by the growth pattern of basal leaves, type of hair, type of inflorescence, number of flowers, proportion of tissue structures in stem, form of pollen grains.
authors.affiliation: Integrated Department of Chinese Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China. feiyaofeiyao@163.com
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fei
authors.forename: Guo-Yue
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhi-Wei
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ji-Feng
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D038861:Medicine, Tibetan Traditional; D008853:Microscopy; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*; D031995:Saxifragaceae / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*