根据对江苏省茅苍术地道产区的实地调查研究,结果表明如不采取保护措施,茅苍术商品药材资源耗尽的期限为10年,至多20年,因地而异。不同种源的植株常具有不同的外部形态特征,这些特征是遗传所决定的,然而并不是所有的不同种源的植株都存在明显的形态特征差异。甚至在同一形态相似的种群内,各单株根茎所含化学成分的种类与数量也有差异。江苏省的茅苍术至少可划分为两个变异类型,两个已研究确定的类型所占比例分别为总个体数的38.8％和9.7％。

Based upon the investigation in the historical growing areas in Jiangsu province, the authors suggested that the duration of the depletion of resources of Atractylodes lancea (Thunb. ) DC.for commercial collection is 10 or at most 20 years. Reasons have been discussed. The results of investigation indicated that plants from different provenances, sometimes, have different morphological characteristics which are genetically occurred. But not all provenances can be clearly divided by morphological features. There are different variations on chemical constituents within populations. At least two types of variations have been . discovered in Jiangsu province. The rates of individual of two types are 38. 8% and 9. 7% respectively.