About Cistanche tubulosa (Schenk) Wight
Cistanche tubulosa (Schenk) Wight is a heterotrophic desert species belonging to the genus Cistanche. This species does not produce chlorophyll, and instead gets all its nutrients and water by parasitizing the roots of host plants. This plant is cultivated in the Taklamakan Desert. In China, it has traditional uses as both medicine and food. The primary sources of the Chinese herbal medicine cistanche (Chinese: 肉苁蓉, pinyin: ròucōngróng) are Cistanche salsa and Cistanche deserticola, though C. tubulosa may also be harvested as a source for this medicine. The medicine derived from this plant, called suosuo dayun in Chinese, is collected in spring before the plant sprouts, by slicing its stems.
