Gardenia jasminoides Ellis

Abstract

Bohe or mint, the dried aerial parts of Briq, is one of the most popular Chinese herbal medicines in the Lamiaceae family and is used as a raw material in dietary supplements. It is a special plant of economic value and originates from the Mediterranean and Europe and now is commonly grown in America, Spain, Italy and France. In China, the genuine Bohe grows in Yunnan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Jiangxi provinces. Its major and legal source is recorded in the Pharmacopeia of People’s Republic of China and TCM literature. Stems of Bohe stand erect, about 30–60 cm in height, and are shaped as four diamonds, and the lower section has a number of fine fibres and horizontal creeping rhizome. Elongated leaves are oblong-lanceolate in shape, 3–5 cm in length and 0.8–3 cm in width. They bloom from June to September, and bear fruits in October each year (Fig. 7.2). The stems and leaves of Bohe are usually harvested and dried in summer and autumn, typically twice a year. The first harvest is usually in late June to early July, but no later than mid July, or the second harvest would be affected (Zhou and Zhong in Guangdong Agr Sci 9:93–95, 2010 [1]).