OBJECTIVETo provide practical method for microscopic authentication of traditional Chinese medicine Gusuibu and its adulterants.

METHODBy means of light microscope, scanning electron microscopy and tissue section techniques, the morphology, the size of the rhizome scales and their bearing position in the original plants of Gusuibu and its adulterants, i. e. Drynaria roosii, D. delavayi, D. quercifolia and Pseudodrynaria coronans were analyzed.

RESULTThere were significant differences between scales length of D. roosii, D. delavayi and P. coronans, while there was no significant difference between that of D. roosii and D. quercifolia. The scale teeth of D. delavayi were usually curved, bifid and uneven distributed at the scale fringe, which was different from that of the other three species. The base of the scales sinks in epidermis in D. roosii, D. quercifolia, and P. coronans, while it bore at the raised part of epidermis in D. delavayi.

CONCLUSION[corrected] Morphology, size and bearing position of the rhizome scales have significant differences in the several species. Therefore, these characteristics can be applied to the identification of Gusuibu and its adulterants.