Cyperus heteromorpha

Cyperus heteromorpha

(Quanzhou materia medica)

[synonym] Xiancao (seed plant in southern Jiangsu), wangmuchai (Quanzhou materia medica).

[source] it is the whole plant with roots of Cyperaceae.

[plant morphology] Cyperus heteromorpha

Annual herbs. Culms tufted, 2-65 cm high, flat triangular. Leaves linear, shorter than culm, 2-6 mm wide; leaf sheath brown; bracts 2-3, leaflike, longer than inflorescence. Cymes of long lateral branches are simple and a few of them reappear; radial branches are 3-9, with different lengths; head inflorescences are spherical, with many spikelets, 5-15 mm in diameter; spikelets are lanceolate or linear, 2-8 mm in length, with 2-28 flowers: scales arranged slightly loose, membranous, nearly oblate, less than 1 mm in length, round at the top, light yellow in the middle, dark red purple or chestnut on both sides, white at the edge; male inflorescences are small Stamens 2, sometimes 1; style very short, stigma 3. Nutlets obovate elliptic, triangular, pale yellow. The flowering and fruiting period is from July to October.

In paddy fields or wet places near water. It is distributed in most areas of China.

[collection] harvest in summer and autumn.

[flavor] salty, slightly bitter, cool and non-toxic.

[channel tropism] entering heart, liver, lung and bladder channels.

Functions and indications: promoting Qi, activating blood circulation, relieving gonorrhea and promoting urination. Treatment of heat drench, urinary obstruction, traumatic injury, hematemesis. (the following is Quanzhou materia medica)

[usage and dosage] oral administration: decoction, fresh 1-2 Liang; or burning and storage.