Wild Coffee, with the scientific name 『Psychotria asiatica』, is a plant species under the Rubiaceae family. It is an erect shrub that can reach heights of 1 to 3 metres. The branches of this plant are nearly quadrangular when young, gradually turning cylindrical later on. Its leaves grow oppositely and are elliptic-oblong, measuring 8 to 20 centimetres in length and 2 to 7 centimetres in width, with sharp tips and bases that narrow gradually into petioles. There are tufts of hair within the axils of the veins on the underside of the leaves, while other parts remain relatively smooth. In traditional Chinese medicine, the tender twigs and leaves of Wild Coffee are used as medicinal ingredients, offering therapeutic benefits such as clearing heat, removing toxins, dispelling wind, eliminating dampness, invigorating blood, and relieving pain. It can be used to treat symptoms like common colds with fever, sore throat, diphtheria, dysentery, typhoid fever, sores and carbuncles with toxic swelling, rheumatic arthralgia, traumatic injuries, and venomous snake bites. For internal consumption, it is typically prepared as a decoction, whereas for external use, it can be boiled in water for fumigation and washing or pounded for a poultice application. The flowering period for Wild Coffee occurs in autumn, yielding pale green or white flowers. Its fruits are near-spherical drupes that turn red when mature, featuring a smooth surface. This plant is distributed across southwestern, southern, to eastern parts of China, typically growing in environments such as mountain forest margins, under sparse valley forests, and along watersides.
