Xingyi Dendrobium

Xingyi Dendrobium

　　Xingyi, originally named Huangcaoba, got its name from the abundant growth of huangcao (yellow grass).

　　In botanical taxonomy, huangcao belongs to the genus Dendrobium under the family Orchidaceae. The Dendrobium genus is a large family within the Orchidaceae, with about 1,000 species worldwide, widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia to Oceania. China has 75 species and 2 varieties of Dendrobium plants, mainly found in provinces south of the Qinling Mountains, especially in southern Yunnan where the diversity is the richest. After years of investigation and research, Guizhou Province has recorded 22 species and 1 variety of Dendrobium, with 19 species in southwestern Guizhou, and over 16 species in Xingyi City. These include Dendrobium gracile, Dendrobium lohohense, Dendrobium auriculatum, Dendrobium fimbriatum, Dendrobium chrysanthum, Dendrobium crepidatum, Dendrobium loddigesii, Dendrobium devonianum, Dendrobium cymbiforme, Dendrobium roseum, Dendrobium officinale, Dendrobium panxiense, Dendrobium aduncum, Dendrobium minutiflorum, Dendrobium leptocladum, and others. Based on stem thickness, Dendrobium plants are processed into traditional Chinese medicinal herbs and commonly categorized by folk as "large yellow grass," "medium yellow grass," and "small yellow grass," with multiple original plant species in each category. Before liberation, the highest annual yield of Dendrobium purchased in Xingyi City reached 35 dan (approximately 50 kg per dan). After liberation, in 1951, over 30 dan of huangcao were purchased, rising to over 50 dan in 1964, and around 20 dan during the Cultural Revolution. In the 1960s and 1970s, Dendrobium plants were reportedly found everywhere in Xingyi. By the 1980s, they could still be found in the wild, with some initial artificial cultivation. However, in the late 1980s, due to expanded uses, new drug development, and increased market demand, large-scale collection surged under market economy pressures. Unsustainable harvesting methods such as digging up entire plants led to a sharp decline in wild Dendrobium resources, pushing them rapidly toward endangerment. First, Black Joint Grass (Dendrobium officinale) became critically scarce, followed by Golden Hairpin Grass (Dendrobium nobile), which disappeared from Xingyi, and then Small Yellow Grass (Dendrobium loddigesii, Dendrobium luteolum) became rare. One by one, huangcao species became endangered, eventually being listed in the International Endangered Plant List (prohibiting trade) and China’s National Key Protected Wild Plants List.

　　The Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2000 edition) includes five original Dendrobium plant species: Dendrobium nobile, Dendrobium moniliforme (Dendrobium loddigesii), Dendrobium fimbriatum (Dendrobium fimbriatum), Dendrobium chrysanthum (Dendrobium chrysanthum), and Dendrobium officinale.

　　In recent decades, botanists and medicinal chemists both domestically and internationally have conducted relatively systematic research on the chemical components of Dendrobium. The chemical compositions of the five original Dendrobium plant species vary significantly. Dendrobium nobile is the only species containing dendrobine, while Dendrobium officinale is rich in polysaccharides. Dendrobium moniliforme contains compounds such as nobilonine and nobilonidine, and Dendrobium fimbriatum contains sterols like stigmasterol and sitosterol. Mixing these sources medicinally is actually inappropriate. Many pharmaceutical products have been developed from Dendrobium species. For example, Nanjing Jinling Pharmaceutical Factory’s “Mailuoning Injection” uses Dendrobium nobile as the raw material, while Zhejiang Tianhuang Pharmaceutical Company’s products such as “Dendrobium Capsules” and “Yin-Nourishing Qi-Benefiting Capsules” use Dendrobium officinale. Among over 20 medicinal products derived from Dendrobium, most use Dendrobium nobile and Dendrobium officinale as main ingredients, while no reports exist of products primarily using Dendrobium loddigesii (Small Yellow Grass). Its development and utilization pathways are relatively limited.

　　Besides medicinal value, Dendrobium species are also used domestically to produce health products, such as “Dendrobium Crystal” and “Fresh Dendrobium Dew,” which use Dendrobium officinale and Dendrobium nobile as raw materials, respectively. Folk remedies also use leaves of Dendrobium loddigesii (Small Yellow Grass) to kill maggots and repel flies. Dendrobium also holds significant ornamental value. Thailand has over 2,800 specialized orchid farms exporting orchids, generating $82 million in foreign exchange in 1996, with Dendrobium orchids making up a large proportion. Several Dendrobium species in Xingyi City’s resources—such as Dendrobium chrysanthum, Dendrobium gracile, Dendrobium fimbriatum, Dendrobium loddigesii, Dendrobium aduncum, and Dendrobium roseum—are important floral resources with development potential. Dendrobium chrysanthum has large flowers, thick tepals, and a long blooming period, making it suitable as a cut flower. Dendrobium gracile has stems resembling purple bamboo, leaves like bamboo leaves, and golden-yellow orchid-like flowers. Hence, it was called “Purple Bamboo Orchid” in the 19th-century “Xingyi Prefecture Annals,” embodying the beauty of both bamboo and orchid. Each Dendrobium species also varies in economic value, especially Dendrobium officinale, which is the most valuable. The “Xifengdou” processed from Dendrobium officinale is priced at $1,300 per kilogram on the international market. The “Dragon Head Phoenix Tail” style Dendrobium officinale is priced at $3,000 per kilogram. Fresh Dendrobium officinale plants are also sold at 200 yuan per kilogram in the Xingyi market. Next is Dendrobium nobile, priced at around 10–30 yuan per kilogram. Third is Small Yellow Grass (Dendrobium loddigesii), at 8–15 yuan per kilogram, with low yield and poor economic returns from traditional cultivation. Among these three, Dendrobium officinale and Dendrobium nobile hold greater cultivation value, broader application, and better economic returns.

　　Xingyi is the Dendrobium Capital of Guizhou, boasting the richest diversity of Dendrobium species. The once-renowned name of Huangcaoba now belongs to history, and the current state of huangcao resources is concerning. Germplasm resource protection has become extremely important. Without timely in-situ and ex-situ conservation measures, the reputation of Huangcaoba will no longer match reality, and Dendrobium medicinal materials may become unobtainable.

　　The hot zones of southwestern, southern, and northern Guizhou—including Chishui and Xishui—are ideal ecological areas for Dendrobium cultivation. With proper development approaches, including financial investment and local technical support, Dendrobium resource development can become a promising, profitable industry, generating substantial economic and social benefits and contributing to regional economic growth.