Pinus tabuliformis.   松 节 Sōng jié   Chinese red pine twigs    
PART USED: Twigs
Nature: Warm    FLAVOR: Bitter     CHANNELS: Liver, Kidney
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Wind Damp Dispelling
1. Relieve pain.
INDICATIONS
1. Arthritis, difficulty in flexing and extending. Wind Damp painful obstruction in joints.
PREPARATIONS: Dry branch joints 9-15 g.[1]

由 松 结 Yóu sōng jié- "Obstruction of pine tree"  Knotty pine wood- harvested year round
Pine wood knots come from the branches of pine trees. The knots are collected by cutting off the branch of a tree, then letting the knots dry (either in the sun or the shade). The knots are then soaked in water, cut into slices, and dried in the sun once more before being used in herbal remedies.The nodes or knots of pine contain a variety of chemical constituents, including cellulose, lignin, turpentine, resin and dipentene. These ingredients are responsible for pine's analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.
Nature: Warm FLAVOR: Bitter CHANNELS: Liver
FUNCTIONS- Similar to twigs only stronger
GROUP: Wind Damp dispersing
1. Dispels Wind and dries Dampness.[3]
INDICATIONS
1.Wind Damp painful obstruction with pain and soreness in the joints. Used primarily when Dampness and/or Cold preomindate.[3]
2. Pain due to traumatic injury.[3]
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Use with caution in cases of Yin and Blood deficiency.[3]
COMBINATIONS
ORIGIN: Throughout China.
DESCRIPTION: Medium-sized evergreen tree 20–30 m tall, with a flat-topped crown when mature (whence the scientific name, 'table-shaped'). The growth rate is fast when young, but slows with age. The grey-brown bark fissures at an early age compared to other trees. The broadly spreading shape is very pronounced, in part due to the long horizontal branching pattern. The needle-like leaves are shiny grey-green, 10–17 cm long and 1.5 mm broad, usually in pairs but occasionally in threes at the tips of strong shoots on young trees. The cones are green, ripening brown about 20 months after pollination, broad ovoid, 4–6 cm long, with broad scales, each scale with a small prickle. The seeds are 6–7 mm long with a 15–20 mm wing, and are wind-dispersed.
References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Constituents
Knotted wood; lingin, a-pinene, b-pinene, camphene.[3]
References
[1] Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica- Dan Bensky and Andrew Gamble- Eastland Press 1986 Seattle Washington ISBN 0-939616-15-7