Tan grass looks very similar to mugwort, so it is difficult for people to distinguish between the two. This often leads to allergies to tan grass. But why would someone be allergic to tan grass if they have never been in contact with it? Symptoms of tan grass allergy!
Tan grass image
How to distinguish between tan grass and mugwort
1. Family
Mugwort: A Chinese medicinal herb, the dried leaves of the plant Artemisia of the family Asteraceae.
Tan grass: A perennial herbaceous plant, considered a noxious weed, with inhibitory and repelling effects on plants of the family Poaceae and Asteraceae, among others.
2. Physiological characteristics
Mugwort leaves: Wrinkled, broken, with short stems.
When fully flattened, the leaves are oval-elliptical, deeply lobed, with lanceolate or elliptical lobes with irregular coarse serrations along the edges;
The upper surface is grayish-green or dark yellow-green, with sparse soft hairs and glandular dots; the lower surface is covered in dense white hairs. The leaves are soft in texture, with a clear fragrance and a bitter taste.
Tan grass: 20-150 cm in height; erect stem with conical branching at the top, with ribs and sparsely rough hairs.
The lower leaves are opposite, with short petioles, divided into secondary pinnate lobes, with small, narrow, lanceolate to inverted lanceolate lobes, with distinct midveins. The upper surface is dark green, with fine short hairs or nearly hairless, while the back is grayish-green, covered in dense rough hairs;
Tan grass image
The upper leaves are alternate, without petioles, with pinnate lobes.
3. Distribution
Mugwort: Mainly produced in Hubei, Anhui, Shandong, and Hebei provinces.
Tan grass is originally from North America and was discovered in Hangzhou, China in 1935. It is distributed in about 15 provinces, municipalities, and regions in Northeast China, North China, Central China, and East China. It has been listed as one of the first batch of invasive alien species in China.
Why would someone be allergic to tan grass if they have never been in contact with it?
August is the peak breeding period for tan grass. Although people may not come into direct contact with it, the pollen of tan grass floats in the air, causing allergies in some susceptible individuals.
Conversely, tan grass does not grow in winter, and there is no abundant pollen in the air during that season, so people rarely experience symptoms of tan grass allergy.
Symptoms of tan grass allergy
Fevers, sneezing, runny nose, and sometimes accompanied by nasal congestion and insomnia at night.
How to prevent tan grass allergy
The simplest way to prevent allergies is to wear a mask or take some antihistamines.
