Stone Silkworm, also known as Grass Stone Silkworm or Stone Strange Snake, is the root or whole plant of the plant Ophioglossum vulgatum in the family Ophioglossaceae. It can be harvested all year round. After harvesting, remove the leaves and roots, dry them in the sun, and use them fresh. The medicinal value of Stone Silkworm, as well as the treatment formula and pictures, are shown below:
Picture of Stone Silkworm
What is Stone Silkworm
[Source] It is the rhizome or whole plant of Ophioglossum vulgatum in the family Ophioglossaceae.
It can be harvested all year round. After harvesting, remove the leaves and roots, and dry them. Or use them fresh.
[Properties and Taste]
It has a sweet and mild taste, and is cool in nature.
① "Folk Medicinal Plants of Zhejiang": Rhizome: Cool in nature, sour and spicy in taste.
② "Quanzhou Materia Medica": Rhizome: Mild in taste, neutral in nature, slightly toxic.
③ "Mingdong Materia Medica": Rhizome: Cool in nature, sweet and mild in taste, non-toxic.
[Morphology]
Ophioglossum vulgatum, also known as Ophioglossum vulgatum.
It is a perennial herb, 13-23 centimeters tall. The rhizome is long and horizontal, densely covered with white-brown narrow scales.
The leaves are spaced apart; the petiole is 5-7.5 centimeters long and has joints at the base;
The leaf blade is triangular, 8-15 centimeters long, 7-10 centimeters wide, and divided into 3-4 pinnate lobes;
Picture of Stone Silkworm
The largest basal lobes are lanceolate, 5-8 centimeters long, 5-7 centimeters wide, and the 2 smaller lobes below the base are the largest and ovate-lanceolate.
They are 2-5 centimeters long and 1-1.5 centimeters wide. The rest of the lobes are pairs of small lobes, rectangular and circular, with a wedge-shaped base, deeply lobed, and blunt-tipped;
The leaves are subleathery and hairless. The sporangia clusters are located inside the leaf margin; the sporangia clusters are round and only attached at the base. The spore period is from May to November.
Treatment Formula with Stone Silkworm
① Treatment for facial paralysis, stroke, and weakness of Qi and blood, headache and dizziness: Grind the dry whole plant of Ophioglossum vulgatum into powder. Take one qian (3 grams) each time, soak in alcohol and take orally. ("Quanzhou Materia Medica")
② Treatment for rheumatic joint pain or back pain: Soak four liang (150 grams) of the dry whole plant of Ophioglossum vulgatum in one jin (500 grams) of alcohol, and take it frequently. ("Quanzhou Materia Medica")
③ Treatment for lumbar muscle strain and joint pain: Take three liang (112.5 grams) of the rhizome of Ophioglossum vulgatum, decoct it in water and take it orally. ("Folk Medicinal Plants of Zhejiang")
④ Treatment for sprains: Remove the hair from the fresh rhizome of Ophioglossum vulgatum, mash it and apply it to the affected area. ("Folk Medicinal Plants of Zhejiang")
⑤ Treatment for lung abscess: Take one to two liang (37.5-75 grams) of fresh rhizome of Ophioglossum vulgatum, decoct it in water, and take it with rock sugar.
⑥ Treatment for breast abscess: Take an appropriate amount of fresh rhizome of Ophioglossum vulgatum, mash it and apply it externally.
⑦ Treatment for herpes zoster: Take fresh Ophioglossum vulgatum
