Sang Ji Sheng

Taxillus chinensis is an evergreen, hemiparasitic shrub in the Loranthaceae family, growing on the branches of various host trees in southern China and Southeast Asia, most traditionally on mulberry (Morus alba). The plant forms a dense, woody clump attached to the host by haustoria, with branches 30-100 cm long, brownish-grey, and minutely hairy when young. The opposite or sub-opposite leaves are leathery, ovate to elliptic, 5-8 cm long, with entire margins and short petioles. Small tubular flowers, red to pink and 2-3 cm long, are borne in axillary clusters from autumn to winter, followed by ellipsoid red or yellow berries. In TCM, the leafy stems with leaves (Sang Ji Sheng) are harvested, particularly from mulberry hosts, and used as a bitter, sweet, neutral herb that tonifies the liver and kidneys, strengthens sinews and bones, and calms the fetus.