Introduction of Gu Jing Cao:Pipewort Flower or Flos Eriocauli.
✵The article gives records of the herb Pipewort Flower, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Eriocaulon beurgerianum Koern., 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 Pipewort Flower, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Flos Eriocauli(Pipewort Flower).
Pin Yin Name: Gǔ Jīnɡ Cǎo.
English Name: Pipewort Flower,Buerger Pipewort Flower.
Latin Name: Flos Eriocauli.
Property and flavor: neutral in nature, pungent, sweet.
Brief introduction: The herb Flos Eriocauli is the dried flower-head with the stalk of Eriocaulon beurgerianum Koern., used to dispel wind and heat for the treatment of acute conjunctivitis, nebula, and headache. The herb is commonly known as Flos Eriocauli, Pipewort Flower or Gǔ Jīnɡ Cǎo.
Botanical source: The herb Flos Eriocauli (Pipewort Flower) is the dried flower-head with the stalk of Eriocaulon beurgerianum Koern., it is a plant of the Eriocaulon Linn. Genus, the Eriocaulaceae family of the Poales order.
Herbal classic book defined the herb Flos Eriocauli (Pipewort Flower) as the dried flower-head with stalk of (1). Eriocaulon beurgerianum Koern. This commonly used species is introduced:
(1).Eriocaulon beurgerianum Koern.
Botanical description: Eriocaulon beurgerianum Koern is commonly known as Gǔ Jīnɡ Cǎo, or Lián è Gǔ Jīnɡ Cǎo. An annual herb, rosette-stape. Many fibrous roots, thin and soft, dense. No stem. Leaves are basal, linear-lanceolate, 6~20 cm long, the middle part is 3~4 mm wide, the widest part of the base is up to 8 mm, the apex is slightly obtuse, has over 10 vertical veins, leaf blade has a transparent lattice check which is composed of vertical and cross veins.
Many scapes are in different lengths, and the higher scape is up to 30 cm, shorter or higher than the leaf blade; capitulum (flower head) is subsphaeroidal, 4~6 mm in diameter, involucral bracts are obovate, 2~2.5 mm long, the rod is yellow; flower bracts are obovate, the apex is sharp-pointed, about 2 mm long, the upper part is densely covered with pubescence. Male flowers are few, tepals in outer floral whorl accrete to obovate bract-shape, apex is 3-lobed, blunt, has pubescence, tepals on inner floral whorl accrete to turbinate cylindric shape; 6 stamens, anthers are black, 0.2 mm long; many female flowers, around inflorescence, almost impedicellate, tepals in outer floral whorl accrete to elliptic bract-shape, 3 tepals in inner floral whorl, free, spatulate (spoons-shaped), apex has one black gland, has slender pilose; 1 pistil, the ovary is 3-loculed, style is 3-lobed.
Capsularfruit is prismatic globular, about 1 mm long. Seeds are oblong oval, with trichomes. Its flowering and fruiting period is from July to December.
Ecological environment: The plant grows at shady wet places near the marshes, stream ditch, paddy fields or ponds. The plant is distributed in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the Zhujiang river area, southwest, Taiwan and other areas of China.
Growth characteristics: The plant prefers a warm and moist climate. It is appropriate to choose paddy fields, and low marshes for cultivation. Avoid drought and chilliness.
Characters of herbs: The herb is capitulum (flower head) with a flower stem, often tied to a wisp. The whole herb is hazel (pale brown). The scapes (flower stalks) are slender, 14~24 cm long, its diameter is not up to 1 mm, the surface is light yellowish green, has 4~5 twisted ridge lines, soft, and not easy to break. Capitulum (flower head) is subsphaeroidal, 4~5 mm in diameter; at the bottom, there are yellow-white involucres, involucral bracts are membranous, obovate, and closely arranged in disk-shape. Tens of flowerlets, ash gray (grayish-white), are arranged very closely, and the surface has white powder adhered. Rub and break the inflorescence, there are many black anthers and tiny celadon (sage green) unmatured fruits. The herb has a slight odor and a mild taste. The herb of a better grade has large and tight inflorescence, ash gray (grayish-white), short scape (flower stalk), and yellowish-green.
Pharmacological actions: ①.inhibitory effect on the Odouin Bacillus spp and the Rust-colored Trichomycetes in the test tube; ②.inhibitory effect on dermatophytes such as Acrothesium floccosum (Epidermophyton floccosum), Microsporum lanosum, Microsporum gypseum, and other dermatophytes.
Medicinal efficacy: Dispels wind and eliminate heat, brighten eyes and removing nebula, indicated for nebula, night blindness, headache, toothache, pharyngitis (obstruction in throat) and nosebleed epistaxis.
Administration of Flos Eriocauli (Gǔ Jīnɡ Cǎo):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Flos Eriocauli (Gǔ Jīnɡ Cǎo)
TCM Books:
①.Internally:4.5~9 grams; ②.Internally：water decoction, 3~4 qian(about 9~12 grams), or prepare to pill,powder. Externally:charred the herb with its property retained, prepare to finely ground herb powder and apply.
Precautions and Adverse Reactions: the herb Flos Eriocauli should avoid ironware in preparation, should not be used in condition eye disease due to blood deficiency.
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1.Introduction of Gu Jing Cao:Pipewort Flower or Flos Eriocauli.
✵The article gives records of the herb Pipewort Flower, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Eriocaulon beurgerianum Koern., 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 Pipewort Flower, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Pin Yin Name: Gǔ Jīnɡ Cǎo.
Botanical description: Eriocaulon beurgerianum Koern is commonly known as Gǔ Jīnɡ Cǎo, or Lián è Gǔ Jīnɡ Cǎo. An annual herb, rosette-stape. Many fibrous roots, thin and soft, dense. No stem. Leaves are basal, linear-lanceolate, 6~20 cm long, the middle part is 3~4 mm wide, the widest part of the base is up to 8 mm, the apex is slightly obtuse, has over 10 vertical veins, leaf blade has a transparent lattice check which is composed of vertical and cross veins.
Many scapes are in different lengths, and the higher scape is up to 30 cm, shorter or higher than the leaf blade; capitulum (flower head) is subsphaeroidal, 4~6 mm in diameter, involucral bracts are obovate, 2~2.5 mm long, the rod is yellow; flower bracts are obovate, the apex is sharp-pointed, about 2 mm long, the upper part is densely covered with pubescence. Male flowers are few, tepals in outer floral whorl accrete to obovate bract-shape, apex is 3-lobed, blunt, has pubescence, tepals on inner floral whorl accrete to turbinate cylindric shape; 6 stamens, anthers are black, 0.2 mm long; many female flowers, around inflorescence, almost impedicellate, tepals in outer floral whorl accrete to elliptic bract-shape, 3 tepals in inner floral whorl, free, spatulate (spoons-shaped), apex has one black gland, has slender pilose; 1 pistil, the ovary is 3-loculed, style is 3-lobed.
Ecological environment: The plant grows at shady wet places near the marshes, stream ditch, paddy fields or ponds. The plant is distributed in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the Zhujiang river area, southwest, Taiwan and other areas of China.
Characters of herbs: The herb is capitulum (flower head) with a flower stem, often tied to a wisp. The whole herb is hazel (pale brown). The scapes (flower stalks) are slender, 14~24 cm long, its diameter is not up to 1 mm, the surface is light yellowish green, has 4~5 twisted ridge lines, soft, and not easy to break. Capitulum (flower head) is subsphaeroidal, 4~5 mm in diameter; at the bottom, there are yellow-white involucres, involucral bracts are membranous, obovate, and closely arranged in disk-shape. Tens of flowerlets, ash gray (grayish-white), are arranged very closely, and the surface has white powder adhered. Rub and break the inflorescence, there are many black anthers and tiny celadon (sage green) unmatured fruits. The herb has a slight odor and a mild taste. The herb of a better grade has large and tight inflorescence, ash gray (grayish-white), short scape (flower stalk), and yellowish-green.
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