[Establishment of seedling classification criteria of Coptis chinensis by dynamic clustering method]

To establish seedling classification criteria of Coptis chinensis.

The height of plant, leaf number, leaf length, leaf wide, weight of leaf, weight of root were measured, the main measurement indexes of seedlings of C. chinensis were chosen through correlation and regression analysis. The seedling classification criteria were formulated by dynamic clustering analysis.

The criteria of the 1st-grade seedlings were as follows: leaf number above 8 leaves, height of plant between 12 and 14 cm. The criteria of the 2nd-grade seedlings were as follows: leaf number between 6 and 8 cm, height of plant between 9 and 12 cm. The criteria of the 3rd-grade seedlings were as follows: leaf number between 4 and 6 cm, height of plant above 9 cm.

The seedling classification criteria of C. chinensis was scientific and feasible, and can be used for the quality control standard of C. chinensis.