Health & Life

The Tree That Bears Only One Leaf in a Lifetime, Growing on Rocks, a Precious Gem as Valuable as Korean Ginseng

The plant typically grows in mountain crevices, under dense forest canopies, beneath tall trees, in low and moist areas. In our country, it is commonly found in limestone mountain regions and in damp areas at the foot of the mountains.

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6 March, 2024

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The scientific name of a one-leaf plant is Nervilia fordii (Hance) Schultze, belonging to the Orchidaceae family (Orchids). It is also known as “thanh thiên quỳ,” “lan một lá,” “lan cờ,” “châu diệp,” “slam lài,” “bửa thoọc” (in Tày language), “bầu thoọc,” and more.

A one-leaf plant is a native plant, a perennial herb that grows 10-20cm tall. It has a very short stem, a large round tuber, milky white in color, with many nodules on the tuber weighing up to 1.5-20g. It has only one leaf that emerges from the stem after the flowers wither.

The leaf is heart-shaped, green in color, arranged in palmate veins, with a diameter of 10-25cm and undulating margins. The veins spread evenly from the leaf stalk, which is 10-20cm long and pinkish-purple in color.

This plant prefers shade, especially damp environments, and can often be found growing in rock crevices or on soil with a thick layer of moss under dense evergreen forests or broadleaf trees. It has a distribution range from 600-1500m in elevation.

The flowers are sparse, 15-20 in number, forming clusters or inflorescences, white in color with pink or slightly greenish-yellow spots. The sepals and petals are similar. The lip has three lobes, with numerous veins, hairy in the middle section, and the side lobes and terminal lobes are triangular in shape, with a long column measuring 6mm, swollen at the top.

The flower cluster has a long stem of 20-30cm.

The plant blooms from March to May and produces capsules from April to June. When the flowers bloom, the upper part of the flower cluster gathers together, resembling a lantern. The fruit is diamond-shaped with a small corolla that looks like a small green plum, measuring 2-3cm in length. The capsule contains many small seeds. The tubers are formed from May to November. The tubers of a one-leaf plant enter a dormant state from November to March of the following year before becoming active again.

Usually after the flowers wither, new leaves develop, so we can only see the plant with flowers or fruits, without leaves, or only see the plant with one leaf.

A one-leaf plant naturally regenerates through its tuberous rays, so in a natural group of plants, there are often plants of different ages.

In Vietnam, this plant is often found in limestone mountainous areas and wet areas at the foot of the mountains. The plant is commonly found in Lao Cai, Hoa Binh, Ninh Binh, Lang Son, Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Ha Tay, Son La, Lai Chau, and more.

Some medicinal treatments from a one-leaf plant

The one-leaf plant has high medicinal value, with different parts of the plant used in various applications. The leaves and tubers of the plant have a slightly sweet, slightly bitter taste and are used as medicine for cooling the body, moistening the lungs, relieving coughs, dispersing masses, detoxifying, and relieving pain. This plant is also being studied for its potential in treating lung cancer and throat cancer.

– Detoxification: Take 2-3 one-leaf plant leaves, wash them thoroughly, then dry and cut them into small pieces. Steep them in boiling water for a few minutes, then strain the liquid to drink. Drink it three times a day.

– Treating tuberculosis and cough: Use 10-20 one-leaf plant leaves daily to brew tea or steam with rock sugar or prepare it as a liquid extract for drinking, which is also very effective.

– Treating inflammation, boils, and ulcers: Use fresh one-leaf plant leaves, crush them into a paste, and apply them to painful areas or apply them to boils, ulcers, and skin infections. It is very effective.

– Acute mouth and throat inflammation: Take a few fresh leaves of a one-leaf plant, wash them clean, and chew them thoroughly.

– Assisting in treating tuberculosis of the organs: Take approximately 15g of one-leaf plant and cook it with pork. Eat it as a soup.

– Helping children digest food and prevent malnutrition: Take 5-10g of one-leaf plant tubers, cook them with lean pork or chicken eggs as a side dish with rice.

– Nourishing the body: Soak about 1kg of dried one-leaf plant leaves and tubers in 5 liters of alcohol. The minimum soaking time is 30 days. Drink a small glass of the mixture once a day.

Note: The one-leaf plant has many medicinal uses, but it should not be abused. If you need to use it, you should consult with a doctor or specialized physicians to be instructed on the proper dosage and usage to ensure the best effect in reducing the illness.

Frequently asked questions

Some common names for this plant include “thanh thiên quỳ,” “lan một lá,” “lan cờ,” “châu diệp,” “slăm lài,” and “bửa thoọc” (in the Tày language). It is also known as “bầu thoọc,” among other names.

The one-leaf plant is a perennial herb that grows to a height of 10-20cm. It has a very short stem and a large, round tuber that is milky white in color with many nodules. The tuber can weigh up to 1.5-20g. The plant has only one leaf that emerges from the stem after the flowers wither. This leaf is heart-shaped, green, and arranged in palmate veins with a diameter of 10-25cm and undulating margins. The veins spread evenly from the 10-20cm long leaf stalk, which is pinkish-purple.

This plant is native to Vietnam and prefers shady, damp environments. It can often be found growing in rock crevices or on soil with a thick layer of moss under dense evergreen forests or broadleaf trees. It has an elevation distribution range of 600-1500m.

The flowers are sparse, with 15-20 forming clusters or inflorescences. They are white with pink or slightly greenish-yellow spots. The sepals and petals are similar, and the lip has three lobes with numerous veins. The middle section is hairy, and the side and terminal lobes are triangular. The long column measures 6mm and is swollen at the top. The flower cluster has a long stem of 20-30cm. The fruit is diamond-shaped, resembling a small green plum, and measures 2-3cm in length.

The one-leaf plant blooms from March to May and produces capsules from April to June. The upper part of the flower cluster gathers together, resembling a lantern when in bloom. The capsule contains many small seeds.

The tubers of the one-leaf plant form from May to November, and then they enter a dormant state from November to March of the following year before becoming active again. Typically, new leaves develop after the flowers wither, so you will often see the plant with flowers or fruits but without leaves, or only with one leaf.

The one-leaf plant has high medicinal value, and different parts of the plant are used for various applications. The leaves and tubers have a slightly sweet and bitter taste and are used to cool the body, moisten the lungs, relieve coughs, disperse masses, detoxify, and relieve pain. It is also being studied for its potential in treating lung and throat cancer.

For detoxification, take 2-3 leaves, wash them thoroughly, dry and cut them into small pieces, then steep them in boiling water for a few minutes. Drink the strained liquid three times a day.

To treat tuberculosis and coughs, use 10-20 leaves daily to brew tea, steam with rock sugar, or prepare a liquid extract for drinking.

Yes, crush fresh leaves into a paste and apply it to painful areas or directly to boils, ulcers, and skin infections.

Take a few fresh leaves, wash them, and chew them thoroughly.

Take approximately 15g of the one-leaf plant and cook it with pork to make a soup.

Take 5-10g of the plant’s tubers and cook them with lean pork or chicken eggs as a side dish with rice.

Soak about 1kg of dried leaves and tubers in 5 liters of alcohol for a minimum of 30 days. Drink a small glass of the mixture once a day.

While the one-leaf plant has many medicinal uses, it should not be abused. Always consult with a doctor or specialized physician to ensure proper dosage and usage for the best effect in reducing illness.

A one-leaf plant is a native plant, a perennial herb that grows 10-20cm tall. It has a very short stem, a large round tuber, milky white in color, with many nodules on the tuber weighing up to 1.5-20g. It has only one leaf that emerges from the stem after the flowers wither.

The flower cluster has a long stem of 20-30cm.

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