[Study on the Chinese drug beimu. IX. Microscopic identification of the upper epidermis of the scales of Fritillaria bulls].

Beimu, a famous traditional Chinese drug, has been used as an antitussive and expectorant for a long time and it is derived from a number of species of Fritillaria. So it is difficult to identify exactly the botanical origin of the commercial crude drugs by means of macroscopic examination. This paper deals with the microscopic identification of the upper epidermis of the scales of 20 species. The result showed that these species are different from each other in the shape and size of the epidermal cells, the shape, size and arrangement of the cuticular peg. Moreover, it was found that the anticlinal wall of the epidermal cells is not bead--thickened, but cuticular peg formed by cuticle.