Read about Dichroa in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture
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Dichroa (Greek, dis, two, and chros, color). Syn. Adamia. Saxifragaceae. Rare greenhouse shrub in habit resembling a Hydrangea, with violet-blue fls. in a pyramidal panicle a foot across, and handsome blue berries. Lvs. persistent, opposite, stalked, narrow, tapering both ways, serrate: panicles terminal, many- fld.; fls. blue, lilac, or violet; petals 5 or 6, valvate; styles 3-5, club-shaped: seeds numerous, small. The genus has only 1 species, in the Himalayas, Malaya, and China. It is sometimes considered to be bitypic, but the other species, D. pubescens, Miq., is considered by Koorders (Exkursionoflora von Java) to be probably a true Hydrangea.
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Dichroa is a genus of 12 species of flowering plants in the family Hydrangeaceae, native to eastern and southeastern Asia. They are deciduous shrubs growing to 1-3 m tall, with their leaves arranged in opposite pairs. The flowers are produced in a broad inflorescence similar to that of the related genus Hydrangea. The fruit is a glossy metallic purple-blue berry.
- Selected species
- Dichroa daimingshanensis Y.C.Wu
- Dichroa febrifuga Lour.
- Dichroa hirsuta Gagnep.
- Dichroa mollissima Merrill
- Dichroa yaoshanensis Y.C.Wu
- Dichroa yunnanensis S.M.Hwang
Uses
Dichroa febrifuga (Chinese: 常山; pinyin: chángshān) is an important herb in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is considered one of the 50 fundamental herbs.