Pinellia: Green Dragons of Eastern Medicine

Pinellia is a small genus of eight to ten herbaceous perennials in the Araceae family native to temperate East Asia, prized for their hooded green spathes and tongue-like spadices that give rise to the common name “green dragons”.
These tuberous plants produce diverse leaf forms and are renowned in traditional Chinese medicine, where the processed rhizome “Zhi ban xia” is used to dry dampness, transform phlegm, and relieve coughs and nausea.