八角蓮屬多年生草本，原產東亞溫帶至亞熱帶氣候區。株高20~60cm。根莖粗壯，單莖直立。盾狀葉對生或互生，直徑15~30cm，5~9淺裂，葉緣有細齒；紫紅色花下垂，花瓣6~9枚。紫黑色橢圓形漿果，長約3cm。花期春至初夏，果期夏季。

A perennial herb in the genus Dysosma, native to the temperate to subtropical climate zone of East Asia. Plant height 20~60cm. Rhizome stout and single stem erect. Peltate leaves opposite or alternate, 15-30cm in diameter, with 5-9 shallow lobes and fine teeth on the margin; purple-red flowers drooping, with 6-9 petals. Berry oval and purple-black, about 3cm long. Flowering from spring to early summer, fruiting in summer.

生長於無日照或半日照的陰暗森林底層，高濕度環境生長良好，栽培處須遮蔭避風。介質使用有機質豐富的培養土，或砂質壤土混入腐葉土種植。繁殖使用播種法。

It grows at the floor of a dark forest, high-moisture environments, with no sunlight or half-day sunlight. Planting sites preferably shady and sheltered from wind. Use culture soil rich in organic matter, or sandy loam soil mixed with mulch soil as the medium. Propagated from seeds.

葉片美觀，具有觀賞價值。根莖是民間藥材，有散瘀解毒功效，主治蛇蟲咬傷以及跌打損傷等，甚至有「識得八角蓮,可與蛇共眠!」的俗諺。主要成份為鬼臼毒素(podophyllotoxin)，曾被研究用來治療各種癌症，但毒性過大，陸續有中毒甚至死亡的案例出現。

This foliage plant is grown for the graceful leaves. The rhizome is a traditional medicinal herb with the effect of dispelling blood stasis and detoxification, mainly used to treat snake and insect bites as well as traumatic injuries which is the origin of the old saying “you can sleep with snakes if you know Dysosma pleiantha (Hance) Woodson well”. The main ingredient “podophyllotoxin” has been used to treat various cancers, but there have been cases of poisoning and even death because of its severe toxicity.