Longxu grass, a traditional Chinese medicine, also known as suocao, ningjincai, or yanghuzi grass, is the whole plant of the plant species Asplenium nidus. It is distributed in Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Hunan, and Sichuan provinces. Longxu grass is used to promote diuresis, relieve urinary tract infections, reduce fever, and calm the mind.
[Other Names of Longxu Grass]
Wild mat grass (from "Gangmu Shiyi"), wild lampwick grass, horse palm root, wild horse palm, wild lamp grass (from "Folk Medicinal Herbs in Zhejiang"), ghost pointed grass (from "Common Chinese Medicinal Herbs in Shanghai"), lamp heart grass (from "Anhui Medicinal Materials"), water passage grass, and seedling root (from "Yunnan Chinese Medicinal Herbs").
[Source of Longxu Grass]
Longxu grass is the whole plant of the plant species Asplenium nidus. The above-ground parts are harvested and dried between September and October.
[Morphology of Longxu Grass]
Longxu grass is a perennial herb. It has creeping rhizomes underground. The stems are green, linear, and can reach up to 50 centimeters in height. The surface of the stems has raised stripes. There are no leaves on the stems, but there are several reddish-brown, light yellow, or dark black sheath-like scales at the base. The inflorescence is lateral, clustered, umbellate, or compound umbellate, with short peduncles. The perianth has 6 tepals in 2 rows, pale green in color.
The tepals are sepal-like; stamens usually 3, attached at the base of the perianth; ovary superior, 1-celled, with inconspicuous styles, and 3 linear stigmas. The capsule is elongated oval and contains numerous seeds. The flowering period is from April to June.
[Discussions on Longxu Grass in Different Medical Works]
①Treatment of urinary tract infections: Take one or two liang of longxu grass and shuiqian grass, and three qian of turmeric; or take one or two liang of longxu grass, xiaojicai grass, and wulianmei grass, and two liang of white mao root. Decoct in water and take orally.
②Treatment of insomnia and neurasthenia: Take two liang of fresh longxu grass, one liang of night vine, and five qian of danshen. Decoct in water and take orally.
③Treatment of diabetes: Take two liang of longxu grass and one liang of lu rong grass. Decoct in water and take orally. (Selected prescriptions from "Folk Medicinal Herbs in Zhejiang")
