Wolfgrass, also known as bean curd vegetable, langye vegetable, is a toxic plant recorded in the Chinese Plant Atlas database. It is bitter, sweet, and neutral in nature. Today, I will introduce you to wolfgrass in detail:
Effects and Functions of Wolfgrass
Wolfgrass
Alias: bean curd vegetable, langye vegetable, wujie, wupa, langye grass, little devil fork, bean curd grass, needle packaging grass, thread packaging, big wolfgrass, relay grass, needle packaging, one-pack needle
Source: The whole plant of Bidens tripartita L., a plant of the Asteraceae family. It is harvested in summer and autumn, and the impurities are removed to be used fresh or dried.
Origin: "Compendium of Materia Medica"
Nature and Flavor: Bitter, sweet, neutral. This species is a toxic plant recorded in the Chinese Plant Atlas database, and the entire plant is poisonous.
Usage and Dosage: 0.5-1 liang; for external use, apply a suitable amount of fresh mashed grass, or apply the juice of fresh grass to the affected area.
Plant Morphology of Wolfgrass
Plant Morphology: Annual herb, 30-150cm tall. Leaves opposite, glabrous, petiole with narrow wings, middle leaves usually pinnate, 3-5 lobed, with larger lobes at the tip, elliptic or lanceolate-ovate, with serrations on the edges; upper leaves deeply lobed or not lobed. Capitula terminal or axillary, 1-3cm in diameter; involucral bracts numerous, outer bracts inverted lanceolate, leaf-like, 1-4cm long, with cilia; flowers yellow, all tubular and bisexual. Achenes flat, inversely ovate-wedge-shaped, with spines along the edges, and 2 spines at the top, occasionally 3-4, with spines along the sides (Figure 72).
Geographical Distribution: Widely distributed in various provinces and regions of China; also found in Asia, Europe, northern Africa, and Oceania.
Wolfgrass Pictures and Plant Morphology
Functions and Indications of Wolfgrass
Used to treat bronchitis, tuberculosis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, dysentery, erysipelas, and tinea.
1. "Compendium of Materia Medica": Used for chronic dysentery, abdominal distension in children, erysipelas with chills and fever. Take the roots and stems and boil them for consumption.
2. "Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica": Used to treat bloody dysentery.
3. "Classified Compendium": Used for long-term tinea, itching occurs in cloudy weather, mix it with powder and apply it.
4. "Minnan Materia Medica": Nourishes yin and benefits the lungs, clears heat and detoxifies. Used for cough, asthma, and throat pain.
Wolfgrass Prescriptions
Wolfgrass Prescriptions
1. Used to treat bronchitis, tuberculosis: Fresh wolfgrass, 1 liang. Decoction and consume. ("Fujian Chinese Herbal Medicine")
2. Used to treat diphtheria, pharyngitis, tonsillitis: Fresh wolfgrass, 3-4 liang, with 6 fresh olives, or 5 qian of fresh Chinese unicorn root. Decoction and consume. ("Fujian Chinese Herbal Medicine")
3. Used to treat throat pain: Fresh wolfgrass, 5 qian to 1 liang. Stew with rock sugar and consume. ("Minnan Materia Medica")
4. Used to treat bloody dysentery: 2 jin of wolfgrass, grind and squeeze out 1 small cup of juice, mix it with half a chicken egg white, stir well, and consume on an empty stomach. If fresh wolfgrass is not available, collect the shady dried sprouts, grind them into powder, and take 1 square inch spoonful of the powder with half a cup of honey water. ("Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica")
5. Used to treat eczema: Crush fresh wolfgrass leaves and squeeze out the juice for application. ("Fujian Chinese Herbal Medicine")
6. Used to treat tinea: Grind wolfgrass leaves into powder, mix it with vinegar, and apply. ("Fujian Chinese Herbal Medicine")
