✵The article records the herb Common Dayflower Herb—including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor—as well as its botanical source, which is a single plant species: (1) Commelina communis L. It provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this species; the macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of the herb; its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Herba Commelinae (Common Dayflower Herb)
Pinyin Name: Yā Zhí Cǎo
English Name: Common Dayflower Herb
Latin Name:Herba Commelinae Properties and Flavor: Cold, sweet, tasteless
Brief Introduction:Herba Commelinae is the dried aerial part of Commelina communis L. It is used (1) to clear heat and counteract toxins—indicated for febrile diseases, boils, sores, and painful pharyngeal swelling—and (2) to promote diuresis in edema and heat-induced stranguria. The herb is commonly known as Herba Commelinae, Common Dayflower Herb, or Yā Zhí Cǎo.
Botanical Source: Classical herbal works define Herba Commelinae (Common Dayflower Herb) as the dried aerial part of (1) Commelina communis L., a plant of the genus Commelina L., family Commelinaceae (Mirb.), order Commelinales (formerly in order Farinosae). This widely used species is described below:
(1) Commelina communis L.
Botanical Description: The plant is commonly known as Yā Zhí Cǎo ("Duck's Foot Sole Grass") or Common Dayflower Herb. An annual herb, it grows 15–60 cm tall. Most individuals possess fibrous roots. The stem is much-branched, with longitudinal ribs; the base is procumbent, while the upper portion is erect. Only the leaf sheaths and upper stem are sparsely covered with short hairs. Leaves are alternate, sessile or subsessile; leaf blades are elliptic-lanceolate or lanceolate, 4–10 cm long and 1–3 cm wide; the apex is acuminate; the base decurrents into a membranous, amplexicaul (stem-clasping) sheath; margins bear white setae (trichomes), and the margin is entire. Involucral bracts are spathe-shaped; peduncles are 1.5–4 cm long, opposite the leaves, cordate, slightly falcate, mucronate at the apex, 1.5–2.4 cm long, and often hirsute along the margin.
Cymes on upper branches bear 3–4 flowers on short pedicels; cymes at the lowest branch nodes bear a single flower on pedicels ~8 mm long. There are three sepals—ovate, ~5 mm long and ~3 mm wide—membranous in texture. There are three petals—navy blue (dark blue): the smaller petal is ovate, ~9 mm long; the two larger petals are subcircular with long claws, ~15 mm long. There are six stamens: three fertile stamens with filaments ~13 mm long; three sterile stamens with shorter, glabrous filaments, apically papilionaceous (butterfly-shaped). One pistil is present; the ovary is superior and ovate; the style is filiform and elongated.
The capsule is ellipsoid, 5–7 mm long, bilocular, dehiscing by two valves, with two seeds per locule. Seeds are 2–3 mm long; the surface is uneven, bearing ridges and furrows, and scattered with white spots. Flowering occurs from July to September; fruiting from September to October.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows in humid, shaded habitats at altitudes of 100–2,400 m above sea level—commonly found along ditches and roadsides, on field ridges, wastelands, corners near houses, grassy slopes and mountain sides, and forest margins.
Growth Characteristics:Commelina communis prefers warm, humid climates but is cold-tolerant. It thrives in shady, moist locations—such as field margins, stream banks, village-adjacent fields, and backyard gardens.
Characteristics of the Herb: The whole herb reaches up to 60 cm in length and is yellow-green in color. Older stems are slightly quadrangular; the surface is smooth, bearing several longitudinal ridges (~2 mm in diameter); nodes are slightly enlarged, often bearing fibrous roots at basal nodes; internodes measure 3–9 cm in length. The fracture surface is firm and solid, with pith centrally located. Leaves are alternate and often shriveled into compact masses; the herb is thin and crisp in texture. When flattened, intact leaves are ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, 3–9 cm long and 1–3 cm wide; the apex is acute; margins are entire; the base decurrents to form a membranous, amplexicaul sheath; venation is parallel. Cymes are present; involucres are cordate-ovate and conduplicate, with discontinuous (interrupted) margins. Flowers mostly fall off; sepals are membranous; petals are picine (blue-black). The herb has a faint odor and tastes sweet and mild.
Pharmacological Actions: (1) marked antipyretic effect; (2) in vitro inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus.
Medicinal efficacy: Clears heat and detoxifies, alleviates water retention and reduces swelling. It is indicated for wind-heat fever (wind-heat exterior syndrome), persistent fever, febrile diseases, sore throat with swelling, edema, oliguria, pyretic strangury with pain, carbuncles, and malignant boils, etc.
Administration of Herba Commelinae (Yā Zhí Cǎo):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Herba Commelinae (Yā Zhí Cǎo)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally: 15–30 grams dried herb; fresh herb: 60–90 grams. External use: appropriate amount. (2) Internally: water decoction, 3–5 qián (≈9–15 grams); fresh herb: 2–3 liǎng (≈60–90 grams); high dosage may reach 5–7 liǎng (≈150–210 grams), or juice extraction. External use: crush and apply topically, or extract juice and instill into the throat. (3) Internally: water decoction, 15–30 grams dried herb; fresh herb: 60–90 grams, or juice extraction. Externally: appropriate amount; crush and apply topically.
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References:
1.Introduction of Ya Zhi Cao: Common Dayflower Herb.
✵The article records the herb Common Dayflower Herb—including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor—as well as its botanical source, which is a single plant species: (1) Commelina communis L. It provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this species; the macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of the herb; its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Yā Zhí Cǎo
Botanical Description: The plant is commonly known as Yā Zhí Cǎo ("Duck's Foot Sole Grass") or Common Dayflower Herb. An annual herb, it grows 15–60 cm tall. Most individuals possess fibrous roots. The stem is much-branched, with longitudinal ribs; the base is procumbent, while the upper portion is erect. Only the leaf sheaths and upper stem are sparsely covered with short hairs. Leaves are alternate, sessile or subsessile; leaf blades are elliptic-lanceolate or lanceolate, 4–10 cm long and 1–3 cm wide; the apex is acuminate; the base decurrents into a membranous, amplexicaul (stem-clasping) sheath; margins bear white setae (trichomes), and the margin is entire. Involucral bracts are spathe-shaped; peduncles are 1.5–4 cm long, opposite the leaves, cordate, slightly falcate, mucronate at the apex, 1.5–2.4 cm long, and often hirsute along the margin.
Cymes on upper branches bear 3–4 flowers on short pedicels; cymes at the lowest branch nodes bear a single flower on pedicels ~8 mm long. There are three sepals—ovate, ~5 mm long and ~3 mm wide—membranous in texture. There are three petals—navy blue (dark blue): the smaller petal is ovate, ~9 mm long; the two larger petals are subcircular with long claws, ~15 mm long. There are six stamens: three fertile stamens with filaments ~13 mm long; three sterile stamens with shorter, glabrous filaments, apically papilionaceous (butterfly-shaped). One pistil is present; the ovary is superior and ovate; the style is filiform and elongated.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows in humid, shaded habitats at altitudes of 100–2,400 m above sea level—commonly found along ditches and roadsides, on field ridges, wastelands, corners near houses, grassy slopes and mountain sides, and forest margins.
Characteristics of the Herb: The whole herb reaches up to 60 cm in length and is yellow-green in color. Older stems are slightly quadrangular; the surface is smooth, bearing several longitudinal ridges (~2 mm in diameter); nodes are slightly enlarged, often bearing fibrous roots at basal nodes; internodes measure 3–9 cm in length. The fracture surface is firm and solid, with pith centrally located. Leaves are alternate and often shriveled into compact masses; the herb is thin and crisp in texture. When flattened, intact leaves are ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, 3–9 cm long and 1–3 cm wide; the apex is acute; margins are entire; the base decurrents to form a membranous, amplexicaul sheath; venation is parallel. Cymes are present; involucres are cordate-ovate and conduplicate, with discontinuous (interrupted) margins. Flowers mostly fall off; sepals are membranous; petals are picine (blue-black). The herb has a faint odor and tastes sweet and mild.
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