Astragalus, Huang Qi 黄芪 Huang Qi (TCM) Astragalus mongholicusLedebour, C.F. von, Icones plantarum novarum, vol. 4 (1833) Astragalus membranaceus(Photo by Doronenko) (Wikimedia) Wild Astragalus Huang Qi root bundled at the Chengdu Medicine Market. (Adam, 2016) Steamed and flattened Huang Qi (Adam, 2017) Botanical name: Astragalus pp.: Astragalus membranaceus (syn. Astragalus propinquus) Astragalus mongholicus (syn. Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus) Various local varieties of Astragalus are used including: A. ernesti (Yunnan, Sichuan, Tibet), A. monadelphus (Gansu, Qinghai), A. floridus and A. tongolensis (Gansu, Sichuan), A. chryopterus.See also Astragalus et al., Srad ma སྲད་མ Parts used: RootDifferent varieties are seen on the market, both Wild and Cultivated: Black-skinned (Hei Pi Qi [‘Black skinned Qi’), from A. membranaceus White-skinned (Bai Pi Qi [‘White-skinned Qi’]), from A. membranaceus var. mongholicus Red Astragalus (Honq Qi); from Hedysarum polybotrys (see Substitutes below) The root on the market is available in various forms. Sections of whole root are often from wild sourced Huang Qi, and are available in bundles. The cultivated root is often steamed, pressed, and sliced as seen above. Usually the dark root-bark is left on wild sourced material while the cultivated is removed. Temperature & Taste: Warm, dry. Sweet Classification:  N. Qi Tonic Uses: 1.…

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