Fu Ling / 茯苓 (Poria, Sclerotium of Tuckahoe, China Root, Hoelen, Indian Bread)

芦令, 伏苓, 云苓

苓皮, 云皮 (outer layer)

Poria

Drain Dampness

Neutral

Sweet

Bland

Heart

Spleen

Kidney

Lung

Fu Ling from Yunnan region is known as Yun Ling / 云苓 [雲苓].

KWC2007.1.313: the ID in the photos is mislabeled as 318, not 313. The label reads Chi Fu / 赤茯, meaning red poria (Chi Fu Ling/ 赤茯苓).

KWC2007.1.3735: the other Chinese characters read ☐ Su Dan / ☐粟胆.

The innermost part of the fungus, around and including root, is called Fu Shen / 茯神 (KWC2007.1.395).

"The portion of the fungus that grows closer to the root is white in color and is thus known as white Poria (Bai Fu Ling / 白茯苓); that closer to the outer skin is pinkish in color and known as red poria (Chi Fu Ling/ 赤茯苓). White Poria is the product that is normally dispensed when just Poria (fu ling) is prescribed." (Bensky, pg. 270)

Bensky, D., Clavey, S. & Stöger, E. (2004). Chinese herbal medicine: Materia medica (3rd ed.). Seattle: Eastland Press. p. 267-271

PhysicalObject

image/jpeg

Photograph courtesy of Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site

State of Oregon

Kam Wah Chung Collection

KWC2007.1.725

KWC2007.1.4041

KWC2007.1.313

KWC2007.1.3735