Objectives: To study the characteristics and regular patterns in growing development of Semiaquilegia adoxoides, and their correlation with the characters medicine materials.
Methods: Continuous observation and study was conducted during growth periods, and observation and measuring was adopted on commercially available Semiaquilegia adoxoides samples.
Results: Plants germinated from seeds and those in their first or second year since germinating from main roots had only basal leaves, there were no aboveground stems or process of flowering and fruiting. After that, plants would germinate from the top of main roots, flower and bear fruit, and the number of aboveground stem and flowers, the size of roots would increase gradually. The medicinal part of Semiaquilegia adoxoides should be fleshy tap root rather than root tuber. The aboveground plants of Semiaquilegia adoxoides experienced the growing process from autumn, through winter to the next spring. They flowered and bore fruit in spring and lived through summer with fleshy tap roots. There was relatively strong correlation between Semiaquilegia adoxoides's habits of growing development and temperature. The characters of Semiaquilegia adoxoides medicinal materials with various growth years were different, and the formation of Semiaquilegia adoxoides medicinal materials took more than 3 years under the wild state.
Conclusion: The results provide a reference for cultivation and further utilization of Semiaquilegia adoxoides, and also serve as the basis for identification of Semiaquilegia adoxoides medicinal materials.