Herb of Epimedium brevicornum Stem Slenderly cylindrical, about 20cm long, externally yellowish-green or pale yellow, lustrous. Cauline leaves opposite, double ternately compound; leaflets ovate, 3-8cm long, 2-6cm wide; apex slightly acute, terminal leaflets cordate at the base, bilateral leaflets relatively small, oblique-cordate, the outer side relatively large, auriculate, margin with yellow and thorny serrulations; the upper surface yellowish-green, the lower surface greyishi-green, main veins 7-9, occurring sparsely slender hairs at the base, thin veins prominent on both surfaces, reticulated veins distinct; petiolules 1-5cm long. Lamina subleathery. Odourless; taste, slightly bitter.

Herb of Epimedium sagittatum Leaves terrately compound, leaflets long-ovoid to ovoid-lanceolate, 4-12cm long, 2.5-5cm wide; acuminate at the apex; bilateral leaflets distinctly oblique at the base, the outer side arrow-shaped. The lower surface sparsely covered with thick, short and pronated hairs or nearly glabrous. Lamina leathery.

Herb of Epimedium pubescens The lower surface of lamina and petioles densely covered with flossy pubescences.

Herb of Epimedium wushanense Leaflets lanceolate to narrow-lanceolate, 9-23cm long, 1.8-4.5cm wide; acuminate or long-acuminate at the apex, margin thorny-dentate, basal lobes of the bilateral leaflets oblique, the inside lobes small and rounded, the outside lobes large, triangular, acuminate. The lower surface tomentose or bare.

Herb of Epimedium koreanum Leaflets relatively large, 4-10cm long, 3.5-7cm wide, long-acuminate at the apex. Lamina relatively thin.

Impotence, seminal emission, weakness of the limbs; rheumatic or rheumatoid arthralgia with numbness and muscle contracture; climacteric hypertension.

1.Tonifying kidney-Yang

In treating impotence, lassitude in low back and knee, incontinence of urine, female infertility, etc. due to deficiency of kidney-Yang, 30g of the drug can be put into 0.5kg of rice wine and 5ml. of the wine is drunk at a time, 3 times a day. The drug can also be used in combination with other drugs for tonifying the kidney.

2.Dispelling wind and removing dampness

In treating arthralgia due to wind, cold and dampness, paralysis of the lower limbs, spasm of muscles, numbness of hand and foot, etc., the drug can be used in combination with drugs for treating arthralgia and relieving pain such as Ramulus Loranthi, Radix Gentianae Macrophyllae, etc. In addition, the drug can also be used in combination with drugs for reinforcing Yang and replenishing Yin such as Rhizoma Curculiginis, Radix Morindae Officnalis, Cortex Phellodendri, Rhizoma Anemarrhenae, etc. to treat hypertention in woman during clmacterium with symptoms of deficiency of both Yin and Yang.