Introduction of Ya Zhi Cao:Common Dayflower Herb or Herba Commelinae.
✵The article gives records of the herb Common Dayflower Herb, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Commelina communis L., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species, the features of the herb Common Dayflower Herb, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Herba Commelinae(Common Dayflower Herb).
Pin Yin Name: Yā Zhí Cǎo.
English Name: Common Dayflower Herb.
Latin Name: Herba Commelinae.
Property and flavor: cold, sweet, tasteless.
Brief introduction: The herb Herba Commelinae is the dried aerial part of Commelina communis L., used (1).to clear heat and counteract toxins for treating warm diseases, boils, sores, and painful swelling of the throat, and (2).to induce diuresis in cases of edema and heat stranguria. The herb is commonly known as Herba Commelinae, Common Dayflower Herb, Yā Zhí Cǎo.
Botanical source: Herbal classic book defined the herb Herba Commelinae (Common Dayflower Herb) as the dried aerial part of (1). Commelina communis L. It is a plant of the Commelina L. genus, Commelinaceae family (Commelinaceae Mirb. family), Farinosae order. This commonly used species is introduced:
(1).Commelina communis L.
Botanical description: The plant is commonly known as Yā Zhí Cǎo (means Duck Foot Sole Grass) or Common Dayflower Herb. An annual herb, the plant grows up to 15~60 cm high. Most have fibrous roots. The stem is many-branched, with longitudinal ribs, the base is procumbent, the upper part is upright, only the leaf sheath and the upper part of the stem are covered with short hairs. Leaves are alternate, sessile or subsessile; leaf blades are elliptic-lanceolate or lanceolate, 4~10 cm long, 1~3 cm wide, the apex is acuminate, the base is decurrent into a membranous sheath, amplexicaul (stem-clasping), with white marginal seta (tricholoma), entire. Involucral bracts are spathe shape, stalks are 1.5~4 cm long, opposite to leaves, cordate, slightly sickle curved, apex is mucronate, 1.5~2.4 cm long, margin often has hirsute.
Cymes on upper branches have 3~4 flowers, with short pedicels; Cymes on the lowest part of branches have 1 flower, pedicels are about 8 mm long; 3 sepals, oval (egg-shaped), about 5 mm long, about 3 mm wide, membranous; 3 flower petals, navy blue (dark blue), one smaller petal is oval (egg-shaped), about 9 mm long, 2 larger petals are subcircular, with long claws, about 15 mm long; 6 stamens, 3 fertile stamens, filaments are about 13 mm long, 3 sterile stamen, filaments are shorter, glabrous, the apex is papilionaceous (butterfly-shaped); 1 pistil, the ovary is superior, oval (egg-shaped), style is filiform (threadlike) and long.
Capsularfruit is elliptic, 5~7 mm long, 2-loculed, 2 valves and 2 seeds per cell. Seeds are 2~3 mm long, and the surface is uneven with sags and crests, has white spots. Its flowering period is from July to September, and the fruiting period is from September to October.
Ecological environment: The plant grows in the humid shade area at altitudes of 100~2,400 meters above sea level, it often grows on ditch sides, roadsides, the ridge of fields, wasteland, house side corners, in grass on hillsides and mountain slopes, and on forest edges. The plant is distributed in most of the northern and southern areas in China.
Growth characteristics: The plant Commelina communis prefers a warm and humid climate and is tolerant of cold, it can be planted on sides of the shady damp field, stream sides, the field near the village, and the back of the house.
Characters of herbs: The whole herb is up to 60 cm long, yellow-green, the old stem is slightly square, the surface is smooth, it has several longitudinal ridges, about 2 mm in diameter, the nodes are slightly enlarged, there are often fibrous roots on the basal nodes, and the internodes are 3~9 cm long; the fracture surface is hard and solid, has pith in the center. Leaves are alternate, shrivel into a block mass, and the texture of the herb is thin and crisp; after flattening, the intact leaves are ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, 3~9 cm long, and 1~3 cm wide, the apex is pointed, entire, the base is decurrent and form a membranous sheath, amplexicaul (stem-clasping), and leaf veins are parallel. Cymes, involucres are cordate obovate, conduplicate, edges are disconnected; flowers mostly fall off, sepals are membranous, petals are picine (blue-black). The herb has a slight odor, and it tastes sweet and mild. The herb of a better grade is yellow-green.
Pharmacological actions: ①.obvious antipyretic effect; ②.inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus in vitro.
Medicinal efficacy: Clear heat and detoxify, alleviate water retention and detumescence (reduce swelling). It is indicated for wind-fever cold, persistent fever, febrile disease and fever, sore throat and swelling, edema, oliguria, pyretic stranguria with pain, carbuncle and malignant boil, etc.
Administration of Herba Commelinae (Yā Zhí Cǎo):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Herba Commelinae (Yā Zhí Cǎo)
TCM Books:
①.Internally:15~30 grams,fresh herb 60~90 grams.Externally:proper amount; ②.Internally:water decoction, 3~5 qian (about 9~15 grams), fresh herb 2~3 liang (about 60~90 grams), big dosage could be up to 5~7 liang (about 150~210 grams), or extract juice.Externally:mashed and apply stick,or extract juice and drip to the throat; ③.Internally:water decoction, 15~30 grams, fresh herb 60~90 grams, or extract juice.Externally:proper amount, mashed and apply stick.
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1.Introduction of Ya Zhi Cao:Common Dayflower Herb or Herba Commelinae.
✵The article gives records of the herb Common Dayflower Herb, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Commelina communis L., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species, the features of the herb Common Dayflower Herb, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Pin Yin Name: Yā Zhí Cǎo.
Botanical description: The plant is commonly known as Yā Zhí Cǎo (means Duck Foot Sole Grass) or Common Dayflower Herb. An annual herb, the plant grows up to 15~60 cm high. Most have fibrous roots. The stem is many-branched, with longitudinal ribs, the base is procumbent, the upper part is upright, only the leaf sheath and the upper part of the stem are covered with short hairs. Leaves are alternate, sessile or subsessile; leaf blades are elliptic-lanceolate or lanceolate, 4~10 cm long, 1~3 cm wide, the apex is acuminate, the base is decurrent into a membranous sheath, amplexicaul (stem-clasping), with white marginal seta (tricholoma), entire. Involucral bracts are spathe shape, stalks are 1.5~4 cm long, opposite to leaves, cordate, slightly sickle curved, apex is mucronate, 1.5~2.4 cm long, margin often has hirsute.
Cymes on upper branches have 3~4 flowers, with short pedicels; Cymes on the lowest part of branches have 1 flower, pedicels are about 8 mm long; 3 sepals, oval (egg-shaped), about 5 mm long, about 3 mm wide, membranous; 3 flower petals, navy blue (dark blue), one smaller petal is oval (egg-shaped), about 9 mm long, 2 larger petals are subcircular, with long claws, about 15 mm long; 6 stamens, 3 fertile stamens, filaments are about 13 mm long, 3 sterile stamen, filaments are shorter, glabrous, the apex is papilionaceous (butterfly-shaped); 1 pistil, the ovary is superior, oval (egg-shaped), style is filiform (threadlike) and long.
Ecological environment: The plant grows in the humid shade area at altitudes of 100~2,400 meters above sea level, it often grows on ditch sides, roadsides, the ridge of fields, wasteland, house side corners, in grass on hillsides and mountain slopes, and on forest edges. The plant is distributed in most of the northern and southern areas in China.
Characters of herbs: The whole herb is up to 60 cm long, yellow-green, the old stem is slightly square, the surface is smooth, it has several longitudinal ridges, about 2 mm in diameter, the nodes are slightly enlarged, there are often fibrous roots on the basal nodes, and the internodes are 3~9 cm long; the fracture surface is hard and solid, has pith in the center. Leaves are alternate, shrivel into a block mass, and the texture of the herb is thin and crisp; after flattening, the intact leaves are ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, 3~9 cm long, and 1~3 cm wide, the apex is pointed, entire, the base is decurrent and form a membranous sheath, amplexicaul (stem-clasping), and leaf veins are parallel. Cymes, involucres are cordate obovate, conduplicate, edges are disconnected; flowers mostly fall off, sepals are membranous, petals are picine (blue-black). The herb has a slight odor, and it tastes sweet and mild. The herb of a better grade is yellow-green.
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