• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.93-104
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• 2002

The following is a list of morphologic and genetic characteristics of Pinellia tuber. 1. The original plant of Pinellia tuber is Pinellia ternata$(T_{HUNB})$$B_{REIT}$. With regards to its external morphology, it is smaller than other Araceae species and its spadix is longer than its leaves, which trifurcate. 2. As regards its internal morphology, its mucous cell is elliptical and the vessel is helical or annular-shaped. Granules exist in abundance and in various shapes. 3. Distribution and size of laticifers are the key criteria on which to differentiate between domestic and imported Pinellia tuber. Laticifers are mainly distributed in the epidermis in domestic Pinellia tuber and in the cortical parenchyma in imported Pinellia tuber. The size of laticifers is somewhere between 1,3 and $8{\mu}m$ in diameter in imported Pinellia tuber bigger than its domestic counterpart. 4. RAPD markers display a great similarity in bands between domestic and Chinese Pinellia tuber. However, RAPD primers 352, 358, 365, 368 and 374 are distinctive markers for domestic Pinellia tuber. In the meantime, North Korean Pinellia tuber, morphologically similar to domestic Pinellia tuber, is genertically distinctive from its domestic counterpart in primers 354, 358, 365, 368, 374 and 379, a finding that supports the postulation that North Korean Pinellia tuber is tuber of another Araceae species.