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.