地(di)黃玄參科地(di)黃屬多年生草本(ben)植物,高可(ke)達(da)30厘米(mi),根莖(jing)肉(rou)質,鮮(xian)時黃色(se),在栽培(pei)條件下,莖(jing)紫(zi)紅(hong)色(se);直徑(jing)可(ke)達(da)5.5厘米(mi),葉(xie)片卵形(xing)(xing)至(zhi)(zhi)長橢圓形(xing)(xing),葉(xie)脈在上(shang)面凹陷,花(hua)在莖(jing)頂部(bu)略排(pai)列成總狀花(hua)序,花(hua)冠(guan)外紫(zi)紅(hong)色(se),內黃紫(zi)色(se),藥(yao)(yao)室(shi)矩圓形(xing)(xing),蒴果(guo)卵形(xing)(xing)至(zhi)(zhi)長卵形(xing)(xing),花(hua)果(guo)期4-7月;生于(yu)海拔(ba)50~1100m的(de)山坡及路(lu)旁荒地(di)等處。因其(qi)地(di)下塊根為(wei)黃白色(se)而得名地(di)黃,其(qi)根部(bu)為(wei)傳統中(zhong)(zhong)藥(yao)(yao)之一(yi),最早出典(dian)于(yu)《神農(nong)本(ben)草經(jing)》;依照(zhao)炮制方法在藥(yao)(yao)材上(shang)分(fen)為(wei):鮮(xian)地(di)黃、干地(di)黃與熟(shu)地(di)黃,同時其(qi)藥(yao)(yao)性和功效也有(you)較大的(de)差異,按照(zhao)《中(zhong)(zhong)華本(ben)草》功效分(fen)類:鮮(xian)地(di)黃為(wei)清熱涼血(xue)藥(yao)(yao);熟(shu)地(di)黃則(ze)為(wei)補益藥(yao)(yao);此外,地(di)黃初(chu)夏開(kai)花(hua),花(hua)大數朵,淡紅(hong)紫(zi)色(se),具有(you)較好(hao)的(de)觀賞性。