The Chinese medicinal herb "Rudi Wugong", also known as Centipedegrass, Shuiyu Gong, Daodi Wugong, Wugongcao, Daolong, Didi Wugong, Guolu Wugong, etc., is the rhizome of the fern plant Seven-fingered Fern. It is commonly found in riversides, ditches, or wetlands in forests. It has various effects such as clearing heat, resolving phlegm, and detoxifying snake venom.
Rudi Wugong is a perennial herbaceous plant, with a plant height of 30-50cm. The rhizome is creeping and horizontal, purple-red on the outside and white on the inside, with many fleshy coarse roots (resembling a centipede, hence the name).
The petiole is 20-30cm long, brownish. The sterile leaves are palmate bird's foot-shaped, herbaceous, hairless, usually trifurcate, 15-25cm long and 20-25cm wide. Each bifurcation consists of a terminal pinnule and 12 pairs of lateral pinnules. The basal pinnules have short stalks, the central pinnules are elliptical to lanceolate, pointed at the tip, wedge-shaped at the base, with wavy small serrations or nearly entire margins, prominent primary veins, and separated secondary veins that bifurcate 1-2 times.
The sporangial spikes are solitary, emerging from the middle of the leaf base, with brownish stems and greenish spikes. The sporangia are arranged in a circle on the receptacle, forming slender cylindrical shapes with uneven cockcomb-like protrusions at the top.
Morphological characteristics of Rudi Wugong: a perennial herbaceous plant. Creeping stem, purple-red, rhizome nearly cylindrical, horizontal, with obvious nodes and adventitious roots on the nodes, thin and long stems. Leaves linear, smooth and soft green leaves. Light green or white flowers bloom in summer and autumn, with terminal inflorescences in spherical shape and three narrow leaf-like bracts, hence the name Sanjiaocao (Three-pod Grass).
1. For cough and wheezing: Take 9g of Rudi Wugong and 3g of Licorice, decocted with water and taken orally.
2. For injuries from falls: Take an appropriate amount of Rudi Wugong, grind into powder, and take 2g each time, accompanied by rice wine or hot water.
Soak Rudi Wugong in infant feces for 49 days, wash, and dry. Grind into powder. Take six parts each time, accompanied by wine or hot water. (From "Guangxi Medicinal Plant Atlas")
3. For dysentery: Take 9g of fresh Rudi Wugong and 20g of fresh Prostrate Spurge, crush and juice, then mix with saline water and drink.
