Engosaku

Description

Corydalis yanhusuo is a plant species in the genus Corydalis. The Chinese name for Corydalis yanhusuo is yan hu suo. The Japanese common name is engosaku and the Korean common name is hyeonhosaek. English common names include yanhusuo, corydalis, and Asian corydalis. The tuber of this plant, frequently mislabeled as the root, is an important therapeutic agent in traditional Chinese medicine. It is native to high-altitude grasslands across China including in the provinces of Anhui, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang, but is more widely cultivated. According to the Flora of China, this perennial herbaceous plant produces 5 to 15 purple-blue tubular flowers in clusters that curve out at the opening. The yellow, round tubers are up to 2.5 cm (1 in) in diameter.