Named by Roth for his friend Michael Rohde (1782–1812). Rohde was a physician and botanist from Bremen whose doctoral thesis was on quinine, He died of typhoid in 1812, aged 30 (Oakeley, 2012).

It is used in Chinese medicine but is regarded elsewhere as being poisonous and best avoided.

In traditional herbal medicine: The leaves and the roots are depurative, diuretic and febrifuge[61, 147].They are used in the treatment of abscesses, boils, sore throat etc[147, 218]. The roots are used externally as a poultice and internally as a heart and nerve tonic[218]. The plant shows cardiac activity, rather like digitoxin (in Digitalis purpurea)[218].

It is a monotypic genus known as omoto in Japan, meaning ‘evergreen’. It is used in Chinese medicine but is regarded elsewhere as being poisonous and best avoided. Named by Roth for his friend Michael Rohde (1782–1812). Rohde was a physician and botanist from Bremen whose doctoral thesis was on quinine, He died of typhoid in 1812, aged 30 (Oakeley, 2012).

It is regarded as a symbol of long life and good fortune; Ieyasu Tokugawa, the first Shogun of the Edo period (1603–1867), took three plants with him to Edo Castle to ensure happy fortune. Its cultivation became such a craze in Japan that its sale was banned in 1852, but it remains hugely popular with 600 cultivars registered with the Japan Rohdea Society. It is used in Chinese medicine but is regarded elsewhere as being poisonous and best avoided. Named by Roth for his friend Michael Rohde (1782–1812). Rohde was a physician and botanist from Bremen whose doctoral thesis was on quinine, He died of typhoid in 1812, aged 30 (Oakeley, 2012).