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Source: Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill., S. sphenanthera Reid. et Wils., and other Schisandra species (Family Schisandraceae).
Common/vernacular names: Wuweizi, meaning "five-flavor seed" (general term for all varieties); northern schisandra or beiwuweizi (S. chinensis); southern schisandra or nanwuweizi, western schisandra or xiwuweizi (S. sphenanthera); gomishi.
Schisandra chinensis is a deciduous woody vine, up to 8 m long; berries bright red when mature; native to northern and northeastern China and adjacent regions of Russia and Korea. Part used is the fully ripe, sun-dried fruit that yields northern schisandra; it is oval and wrinkled, with a diameter of 5–8 mm, ranging from bright red, dull red, to purplish red; flesh is soft, with a weak characteristic odor and tastes primarily sour and sweet, with a salty note; its 1–2 yellowish brown, kidney-shaped seeds are fragrant when crushed and taste simultaneously pungent, bitter, and salty; these five flavor elements give schisandra its name, "five-flavor seed." Northern schisandra is mainly produced in northern and northeastern provinces, including Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Shanxi, Hebei, Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang.
Schisandra sphenanthera is a climbing shrub similar to S. chinensis, up to about 5 m long; native to western, central, and southern China. Its fully ripe, sun-dried fruit yields southern or western schisandra, which is similar in properties to northern schisandra fruit, but is smaller, with thinner flesh and is reddish brown to dull brown. Southern schisandra is mainly produced in western, central, and southern provinces, including Gansu, Shaanxi, Henan, Hunan, Hubei, and Sichuan.
Although several other Schisandra species also serve as commercial or potential commercial sources of schisandra fruit, its current major sources are S. chinensis and S. sphenanthera. ,
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