Baogai grass, also known as pearl lotus or bone-setting grass, is an annual upright herb. The whole plant can be used as medicine and has the effects of clearing heat, promoting diuresis, reducing swelling, and detoxifying. It can be used to treat injuries, fractures, and other symptoms. Let's take a look at the value and application of Baogai grass below.
Image of Baogai grass
【Morphological Characteristics of Baogai Grass】
1. Seedling: The cotyledons are nearly circular with a slightly concave apex and a small pointed protrusion in the center. The hypocotyl is well-developed and purplish-red in color. The first true leaves are opposite, slightly kidney-shaped, with a blunt round apex and rounded serrated edges.
2. Mature plant: The plant is 10-30 centimeters tall, with branching at the base of the stem and an ascending growth habit. The stem is often purple or dark blue, hollow in the middle. The lower leaves have long petioles, while the upper leaves are sessile. The leaf blades are all rounded or kidney-shaped, with a round apex, truncate or truncate-wedge-shaped base, semi-clasping the stem, and deep rounded teeth along the edges. Both sides of the leaves are sparsely covered with small rough adpressed hairs.
3. Flowers and fruits: The inflorescence is umbel-like, with lanceolate bracts covered in hairs. The calyx is tubular, covered with white straight hairs on the outside. The corolla is purple-red, with densely arranged short hairs of the same color on the upper lip and fine hairs on the rest of the corolla. The corolla tube is slender, with an erect upper lip that is elongated and oval, and a 3-lobed lower lip with a deep concave apex. The stigma is 2-lobed. The floral disk is cup-shaped with rounded teeth. The small nut is inverted ovate, 3-ridged, and pale grayish-yellow.
Image of Baogai grass
【Nutritional Value of Baogai Grass】
Baogai grass, also known as lighthouse grass, bone-setting grass, or pearl lotus, is commonly referred to as lighthouse grass in our hometown. Its name is related to the shape of its leaves.
The leaves of Baogai grass resemble the shape of a lighthouse, with layers stacked on top of each other, giving it a lively and textured appearance. Especially when Baogai grass is in bloom, although the flowers are not large, it does not diminish its beauty.
Due to its high ornamental value, Baogai grass is often planted and used for indoor decoration in urban areas.
Baogai grass is also commonly used as a forage feed for pigs, cows, sheep, and other poultry and livestock. It is often mixed in feed to promote the growth of poultry and livestock and reduce feed production costs.
In addition, Baogai grass also has high medicinal value. When it is crushed and ground, it can be applied to suppurating wounds to have a good anti-inflammatory effect.
Baogai grass also has certain effects on promoting blood circulation and reducing swelling, clearing heat and diuresis, treating injuries and fractures, and relieving bone pain.
Image of Baogai grass
【Medicinal Applications of Baogai Grass】
1. Treatment of falls, fractures, and tendon injuries: 2 liang of bone-setting grass, 1 liang of purple kudzu root (filed), 1 liang of dendrobium (filed without roots), 1 or 2 liang of barbary wolfberry fruit, 1 liang of clove, 1 liang of xuduan, and 1 liang of asarum (wrapped in dough, cooked dough is preferred). Grind the ingredients into coarse powder. Take 2 qian with warm wine at any time. (From "Sheng Hui Fang" - Bone-setting Grass Powder)
2. Treatment of bruises, foot injuries, and red swelling preventing walking: Bone-setting grass, hemp root, and thistle. Grind them with chicken egg white and honey, and apply it to the affected area. Change it once a night. If the pain persists, add onion and ginger for another application.
3. Treatment of phlegm-fire, red and swollen hands and feet, and pain: 5 qian of bone-setting grass, 2 qian of chicken foot thorn root, and 2 qian of turmeric tuber. Grind them together, burn them with wine, and apply it to the affected area three times. After the swelling subsides and the pain stops, add Chinese violet, white atractylodes, and chuanxiong, remove turmeric tuber and chicken foot thorn root, and boil them in water and wine for three doses.
4. Treatment of nodules on the legs of women, resembling peaches or plums, with red swelling and hardness: 3 qian of bone-setting grass. Boil it in water, and take it with water and wine. If it reoccurs, add xuanwu, windproof, and Chinese fevervine, and take it three times. (From "Dian Nan Ben Cao" - Southern Yunnan Materia Medica)
5. Treatment of facial paralysis and hemiplegia: Bone-setting grass, windproof, hook vine, and gall bladder star. Boil them in water, and take them with equal parts of water and wine.
