In A. D. 756, 60 drugs were dedicated to the Great Buddha of Todaiji Temple with many treasures and stored in Shosoin (正倉院), a treasure house attached to Todaiji Temple. At present, 38 of the original 60 drugs still remain. The origins of these drugs except "Koboku (厚朴)" and "Kodoritsu (胡同律)" were clarified during the first (1948-1950) and the second (1994-1995) scientific investigations of Shosoin drugs. "Koboku" is a thick bark and resembles modern Koboku (Magnolia Bark, the bark of Magnolia officinalis Rehder & Wilson and its related species) in appearance but not in the following characters: "Koboku" does not have oil cells but a large quantity of druses of calcium oxalate; many lignified phloem fiber bundles piled tangentially; the fractured surface of "Koboku", therefore, is fibrous and multilayered. The descriptions of old Chinese herbal books suggest that several plants were used for Koboku in former times. So, we examined literature on the original plants of Koboku occurring in various places of China to obtain clues to the origin of "Koboku". Accordingly, the barks of magnoliaceous plants (Magnolia spp., Manglietia spp. and Michelia spp.) and Engelhardia roxburghiana Wall. (Juglandaceae) are frequently used as Koboku. In anatomical comparisons of these barks with "Koboku", the bark of E. roxburghiana only possesses the above-stated characters of Koboku. Its appearance also resembles closely that of "Koboku". Thus, "Koboku" is conclusively the bark of Engelhardia roxburghiana.

Definition (botanical origin) and description (morphology, etc.) of Coix fruit in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia were presented for authentication and standardization of crude drug. The crude drug, Coix fruit is defined as a fruit enveloped with an involucre of Coix lacryma-jobi Linné var. mayuen Stapf. The smell, taste, and external morphological and anatomical features of Coix fruit were described based mainly on market samples. The term of organ enveloping fruit is also discussed.

To discriminate the botanical origin of Xingrens derived from seeds of Prunus sect. Armeniaca species (P. armeniaca var. armeniaca, P. armeniaca var. ansu, P. sibirica, and P. mandshurica) using genetic information, we sequenced a partial region of rpl16 intron of cpDNA of these taxa, P. mume, and P. persica. Five genotypes were recognized from the total of 38 materials, all of the materials belonging to the same species had the same genotypes, and the species examined were discriminated from each other except P. armeniaca var. armeniaca and var. ansu. As a result, it was possible to discriminate reliably the botanical origin of Xingrens except the two varieties of P. armeniaca. Among 50 materials of Xingren from markets in Japan, 31 materials were identified with P. armeniaca var. armeniaca or var. ansu, 19 materials were identified with P. sibirica, and no materials had the other genotypes.

As a part of the botanical inventory program, the authors conducted a survey of natural resources in order to find out a potential substitute for traditional herbal medicines in Natma Taung National Park, Chin State, west-central Myanmar. We collected a dozen of species, and among them Panax pseudoginseng Wall. (Araliaceae), Bupleurum candollei Wall. ex DC. (Umbelliferae), Gentiana sino-ornata Balf. f. (Gentianaceae) and Zingiber officinale Roscoe (Zingiberaceae) were analyzed with thin layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography analysis. By the analyses on four species the presence of components was proved and their contents were determined. Here, we present results of chemical analysis on four species and detailed descriptions of two particularly noteworthy species are given as local crude drugs.

An epiphytic diatom Grammatophora marina (Lyngbye) Kützing, a well-known chain-forming species showing cosmopolitan distribution, was examined firstly based on the observation of chemically cleaned cell wall. We found that the valves had a spine only at one end. Subsequently, we deployed a method to remove the organic coat of the cells using a hot plate keeping the chain shape intact. The observation of the zigzag chain under SEM revealed: 1) the spine was always formed at the free (non-attached) end of the valve, and 2) newly formed sibling valves were linked to each other by both ends. In this case one spine-bearing end was more weakly attached than the other. Thus, it is likely that the adhesion of the spine-bearing end will be lost afterward. The determination of the valve polarity might randomly take place judging by the chain shape. The spine physically disturbs the adhesion of two opposed sibling valves, resulted in the detachment of the part. The randomly-formed spines facilitate chain formation, which is presumably beneficial in terms of nutrient and light competition in the epiphytic assemblage.