Taro

Taro

(selected Chinese herbal medicines from Simao, Yunnan)

[synonyms] tuanyao and Wanhong (Dai name).

[source] tuber of Araceae plant taro.

[plant morphology] taro

Herbaceous, 20-40 cm high. Tuber long oval, many fibrous roots. The leaves are oval, membranous, 15-20 cm long, 6-8 cm wide, apex pointed, base heart-shaped, smooth and glabrous. The inflorescence stalk is short, the spathe is open; the fleshy inflorescence is shorter than the spathe; the flower is monoecious, the male and female flowers are close; the perianth is absent; the male flower has 3-6 pseudostamens, which are united into a column; the female flower has 2-5 rod-shaped pseudostamens; the ovary is 1-locular, with multiple ovules. Berries ovate.

Born in the forest ditch next to the wet fertile place. It is distributed in Yunnan and other places.

[collection] all year round. Wash, slice, sun dry, or powder.

[flavor] warm, pungent and poisonous.

Functions and indications: shujinluo, Qufengshi, Zhitong, xiaoyansanjiao. It is used to treat traumatic injury, fracture, traumatic bleeding, rheumatic lumbocrural pain, rheumatoid arthritis, stomachache, gastroenteritis and scraping.

[usage and dosage] oral administration: decoct soup, 1-3 yuan; or soak wine, 0.5-1 Liang, 1 jin, twice a day, 10 ml each time. External use: tamping or grinding powder scattering.

[should not] pregnant women should not use it.