Coptis

"Goldthread" redirects here. For a fine wire of gold, see gold thread.

Coptis
Coptis occidentalis flowers
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Ranunculales
Family:	Ranunculaceae
Genus:	Coptis Salisb.
Species
See text

Coptis (Goldthread or Canker Root) is a genus of between 10–15 species of flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native to Asia and North America.

Species

Selected species

• Coptis aspleniifolia
• Coptis chinensis
• Coptis deltoidea
• Coptis groenlandica
• Coptis japonica - Huang lian in Chinese (Chinese: 黃連; pinyin: Huang lian)
• Coptis laciniata
• Coptis occidentalis
• Coptis omeiensis
• Coptis quinquefolia
• Coptis quinquesecta
• Coptis teeta
• Coptis trifolia

Coptis occidentalis fruit

Uses

Coptis teeta is used as a medicinal herb in the Himalayan regions of India where it is used as a bitter tonic for dyspepsia. It is also believed to help insomnia in Chinese herbology.^{[citation needed]} The roots contain the bitter alkaloid berberine.

External links

Coptis aspleniifolia leaves

• Flora of North America: Coptis
• Flora of China: Coptis