Gan Song (Xiang)

Gan Song (Xiang) is the dried rhizome and root of Nardostachys jatamansi (Caprifoliaceae; formerly Valerianaceae), a perennial herb of high-elevation Himalayan and southwestern Chinese meadows from 3000 to 5000 m. The plant forms a stout, woody rhizome densely clothed in persistent fibrous remains of old leaf bases, from which arise rosettes of oblanceolate to spathulate radical leaves 10–25 cm long, sparsely pubescent and entire. The flowering stem rises 10–40 cm and bears terminal dense capitate cymes of small pinkish to pale purple, tubular, five-lobed flowers about 6–8 mm long. The whole rhizome system has a powerful, sweet, musky-aromatic odour due to sesquiterpenoid valerenones and jatamansone.