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Description
· Slender,
erect, glabrous, perennial grasslike plant, 10 to 40 cm high.
Rhizomes or underground stems wiry, bearing black, hard, ovoid
tubers about 1 cm in diameter. Above ground stem solitary, distinctly
3-angled.
· Leave as long as the stems.
· Flowers: inflorescence umbel-type, simple or compound,
2 to 6 cm long, with rather long rays or spikes. Spike with 3
to 8 spikelets. Spikelets brown, flat, slender, 10 to 25 mm long
with 10 to 25 florets per spikelet. Rachilla of the spikelet
distinctly winged. Glumes of the floret distichously arranged,
the first 2 empty, the third one bisexual.
· Fruits: 3-angled nuts.
Distribution
Found throughout
the Philippines; a common weed in gardens, lawns and wastelands.throughout
the Philippines.
Part
utilized
· Rhizome.
· Harvest from December to January.
· Wash and sun-dry or heat-dry in a clean frying pan.
· Scrape off the fibrous roots.
Characteristics
Effects
Fragrant, slightly
bitter tasting rhizome.
Demulcent, analgesic, stimulative, laxative, regulates menstrual
flow.
Folkloric
uses
· Indigestion
and constipation: 2 to 6 gms of dried material in a standard
cup of water, boil to concentration and drink.
· Skin diseases: Wash the diseased portion with the hot
decoction.
· Chest pains caused by deterred blood flow of blood and
energy circulation: boil to decoction 4 to 9 gms of dried drug
preparation together with 4 gms of Citrus (dalanghita, kahel,
suha, kalamansi, etc.) and drink.
· Neurogenic gastralgia, abdominal distention, heaviness
at the chest, acidic vomiting: 3 to 9 gms dried material in decoction.
·Irregular menstruation, painful menstruation: 3 to 9
gms dried material in decoction.
· Sprains and bruises, furuncle infections: Use pounded
fresh material as poultice or cook the pulverized drug material
in vinegar and apply as hot poultice.
Availability
Wild-crafted.
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