Botany
Sword leaf dianella is a perennial with stems 60 to 150 cm long. Leaves are linear-lanceolate, 30 to 60 cm long, and 2 to 4 cm wide. Inflorescence is 30 to 60 cm long. Flowers are white greenish or bluish, with the segments 6 to 8 mm long, and reflexed. Seeds are ovoid and bluish.
Distribution
In light forests at low altitudes in Palawan, Panay, Bucas Grande and Mindanao.
Also occurs in India to the Mascarene Islands, in China, Taiwan, Malaya, in tropical Australia and in Polynesia.
Constituents
Benzenoids: Musizin (dianellidin), methyl 2,4-dihydroxt-3,5,6-trimethylbenzoate, methyl 2.4-dihydroxy-3,6-dimethylbenzoate, methyl 2,4-dihydroxy-6-methylbenzoate (methyl orsellinate), 2,4-dihydroxy-6-methoxy-3-methylacetophenone.
Properties
Vermifuge.
Hard roots have a characteristic smell.
Parts used
Roots, leaves.
Uses
Folkloric
- Poultices of roots applied to the abdomen as vermifuge.
- Ashes of roots and leaves are ingredients in an ointment for herpes.
- Leaves used for poulticing wounds.
- In southern Thailand, roots used for kidney diseases.
- Dry powdered rhizomes blended with vinegar applied locally for furunculosis and abscesses, lymphangitis, tuberculous lymphadenitis, tinea and traumatic injuries.
Cosmetics
- An ingredient in skin cream preparations as antioxidant and to reduce hyperpigmentation.
Others
Poison: Reported use of roots as rat poison.
Roots used for fumigation.
Studies
• Chemical Constituents / Roots: Study yielded musizin (dianellidin), methyl 2,4-dihydroxt-3,5,6-trimethylbenzoate, methyl 2.4-dihydroxy-3,6-dimethylbenzoate, methyl 2,4-dihydroxy-6-methylbenzoate (methyl orsellinate), 2,4-dihydroxy-6-methoxy-3-methylacetophenone.
Availability
Wild-crafted.
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