✵This article documents the herb Pipewort Flower, including its English name, Latin name, properties and flavor, botanical source—namely one plant species: (1) Eriocaulon beurgerianum Koern.—with a detailed description of its botanical features, growth characteristics, ecological environment, macroscopic characteristics of the herb, pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Flos Eriocauli (Pipewort Flower)
Pinyin Name: Gǔ Jīnɡ Cǎo
English Name: Pipewort Flower; Buerger’s Pipewort Flower
Latin Name:Flos Eriocauli Property and Flavor: Neutral in nature; pungent and sweet.
Brief Introduction:Flos Eriocauli is the dried flower head with its stalk of Eriocaulon beurgerianum Koern., used to dispel wind-heat for the treatment of acute conjunctivitis, nebula, and headache. It is commonly known as Flos Eriocauli, Pipewort Flower, or Gǔ Jīnɡ Cǎo.
Botanical Source:Flos Eriocauli (Pipewort Flower) is the dried flower head with stalk of Eriocaulon beurgerianum Koern., a plant of the genus Eriocaulon Linn., family Eriocaulaceae, order Poales.
Herbal classic works define Flos Eriocauli (Pipewort Flower) as the dried flower head with stalk of (1) Eriocaulon beurgerianum Koern. This commonly used species is described below:
(1) Eriocaulon beurgerianum Koern.
Botanical Description:Eriocaulon beurgerianum Koern. is commonly known as Gǔ Jīnɡ Cǎo or Lián è Gǔ Jīnɡ Cǎo. It is an annual herb with a rosette habit. It has numerous fibrous roots—thin, soft, and dense. It lacks a true stem. Leaves are basal, linear-lanceolate, 6–20 cm long; the mid-leaf width is 3–4 mm, while the base widens up to 8 mm; the apex is slightly obtuse and bears over 10 longitudinal veins; the leaf blade exhibits a transparent reticulate pattern formed by longitudinal and transverse veins.
Numerous scapes vary in length; the tallest scape reaches up to 30 cm—shorter than, equal to, or taller than the leaf blades. The capitulum (flower head) is sub-spherical, 4–6 mm in diameter. Involucral bracts are obovate, 2–2.5 mm long; the receptacle is yellow. Flower bracts are obovate, acutely pointed at the apex, ~2 mm long, and densely pubescent in the upper part. Male flowers are few: outer tepals are fused into obovate, bract-like structures, 3-lobed and blunt at the apex, pubescent; inner tepals are fused into turbinate-cylindrical structures; there are 6 stamens; anthers are black and 0.2 mm long. Female flowers are numerous, arranged around the inflorescence, nearly sessile; outer tepals are fused into elliptic, bract-like structures; 3 inner tepals, free, spatulate (spoon-shaped), each with a single black gland at the apex and slender pilose surfaces; there is 1 pistil; the ovary is trilocular; the style is 3-lobed.
The capsule fruit is prismatic-globose, ~1 mm long. Seeds are oblong-ovoid and covered with trichomes. Its flowering and fruiting period extends from July to December.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows in shady, moist habitats near marshes, stream ditches, paddy fields, or ponds.
Growth Characteristics: The plant prefers a warm and humid climate. Paddy fields and low-lying marshes are suitable for cultivation. Drought and cold should be avoided.
Characteristics of the Herb: The herb consists of capitula (flower heads) with their peduncles (flower stalks), often bundled into small tufts. The whole herb is hazel (pale brown). Scapes are slender, 14–24 cm long, with diameters less than 1 mm; the surface is light yellowish-green, bearing 4–5 spirally twisted ridges; they are soft and not easily broken. The capitulum is sub-spherical, 4–5 mm in diameter; at its base are yellowish-white involucres composed of membranous, obovate bracts closely arranged in a discoid fashion. Tens of flowerlets—ash gray (grayish-white)—are densely packed; their surfaces bear adherent white powder. When rubbed or broken, numerous black anthers and tiny celadon (sage green) immature fruits become visible. The herb has a faint odor and a mild taste.
Pharmacological Actions: (1) inhibitory effect on Odouin bacillus spp. and rust-colored trichomycetes in vitro; (2) inhibitory effect on dermatophytes, including Epidermophyton floccosum, Microsporum lanosum, Microsporum gypseum, and other dermatophytes.
Medicinal Efficacy: Dispels wind and clears heat; brightens the eyes and removes nebula. Indicated for nebula, night blindness, headache, toothache, pharyngitis ("obstruction in the throat"), and epistaxis.
Administration of Flos Eriocauli (Gǔ Jīnɡ Cǎo):
Reference:
Administration Guide for Flos Eriocauli (Gǔ Jīnɡ Cǎo)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally: 4.5–9 grams; (2) Internally：water decoction, 3–4 qián (≈9–12 grams), or prepared as pills or powder. External use: char the herb while retaining its medicinal properties, then grind into a fine powder for topical application.
Precautions and Adverse Reactions: Flos Eriocauli should not be prepared using iron utensils; it is contraindicated in eye disorders due to blood deficiency.
✵This article documents the herb Pipewort Flower, including its English name, Latin name, properties and flavor, botanical source—namely one plant species: (1) Eriocaulon beurgerianum Koern.—with a detailed description of its botanical features, growth characteristics, ecological environment, macroscopic characteristics of the herb, pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Gǔ Jīnɡ Cǎo
Botanical Description: Eriocaulon beurgerianum Koern. is commonly known as Gǔ Jīnɡ Cǎo or Lián è Gǔ Jīnɡ Cǎo. It is an annual herb with a rosette habit. It has numerous fibrous roots—thin, soft, and dense. It lacks a true stem. Leaves are basal, linear-lanceolate, 6–20 cm long; the mid-leaf width is 3–4 mm, while the base widens up to 8 mm; the apex is slightly obtuse and bears over 10 longitudinal veins; the leaf blade exhibits a transparent reticulate pattern formed by longitudinal and transverse veins.
Numerous scapes vary in length; the tallest scape reaches up to 30 cm—shorter than, equal to, or taller than the leaf blades. The capitulum (flower head) is sub-spherical, 4–6 mm in diameter. Involucral bracts are obovate, 2–2.5 mm long; the receptacle is yellow. Flower bracts are obovate, acutely pointed at the apex, ~2 mm long, and densely pubescent in the upper part. Male flowers are few: outer tepals are fused into obovate, bract-like structures, 3-lobed and blunt at the apex, pubescent; inner tepals are fused into turbinate-cylindrical structures; there are 6 stamens; anthers are black and 0.2 mm long. Female flowers are numerous, arranged around the inflorescence, nearly sessile; outer tepals are fused into elliptic, bract-like structures; 3 inner tepals, free, spatulate (spoon-shaped), each with a single black gland at the apex and slender pilose surfaces; there is 1 pistil; the ovary is trilocular; the style is 3-lobed.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows in shady, moist habitats near marshes, stream ditches, paddy fields, or ponds.
Characteristics of the Herb: The herb consists of capitula (flower heads) with their peduncles (flower stalks), often bundled into small tufts. The whole herb is hazel (pale brown). Scapes are slender, 14–24 cm long, with diameters less than 1 mm; the surface is light yellowish-green, bearing 4–5 spirally twisted ridges; they are soft and not easily broken. The capitulum is sub-spherical, 4–5 mm in diameter; at its base are yellowish-white involucres composed of membranous, obovate bracts closely arranged in a discoid fashion. Tens of flowerlets—ash gray (grayish-white)—are densely packed; their surfaces bear adherent white powder. When rubbed or broken, numerous black anthers and tiny celadon (sage green) immature fruits become visible. The herb has a faint odor and a mild taste.
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