Crab feet

Crab feet

(commonly used Chinese herbal medicine in Sichuan)

[source] it is the whole plant of juncea.

[plant morphology] Juncus compressa

Perennial herbs, 20-40 cm high. Rhizome short, white, fibrous roots many. Stem flat, 2-3 tufted, erect, winged, two sharp edges. Leaves alternate; long sword linear, flat, 8-15 cm long, 1.5-3 mm wide, apex acuminate, entire; leaf sheaths not united. Cyme cluster, stem apex; involucral bracts leaflike; florets clustered into globular, flowers sparsely stellate, 1-1.4 cm in diameter; perianth segments 6, lanceolate, green or reddish brown, apex acute, equal length; stamens 3, anthers oblong, filaments short; ovary 3-locular, ovules numerous. Capsule triangular columnar, 3-valved. Seeds obovate, ca. 0. 6 mm. The flowering period is from April to May. The fruit period is from May to June.

It grows in the wet grass on the edge of paddy field, stream or river in low mountains and hills. It is distributed in Sichuan.

[collection] harvest in summer and dry in the sun.

Bitter and cool.

Functions and indications: clearing away heat, eliminating food and diuresis. It can cure the fever of urination.

[usage and dosage] oral administration: decoction, 1-2 Liang.

Chinese PinYin : Pang Xie Jiao