Wufeng Chaoyang grass

Wufeng Chaoyang grass

(Guizhou folk medicine)

[synonym] langtoucao, sifanghecao (Guizhou folk medicine), fengweishen, huanyangcao, haozhilongdancao (Yunnan Chinese herbal medicine).

[source] it is the whole plant of Pedicularis maxima, a Scrophulariaceae plant.

[plant morphology] Pedicularis maxima

Perennial herbs, 10-90 cm high. Stems angular and striate, hairy or glabrous. The leaves are 4, sometimes 3, whorled; the petioles of the upper part are expanded and combined to form a bucket; the leaves are pinnately divided or deeply divided, 3.5-12 cm long and 1-4 cm wide; the lobes are linear oblong to oblong, 4-8 mm wide, serrated. Inflorescence racemose; bracts base are expanded and combined into a bucket, the first half of pinnate division; calyx 10-12 mm long, membranous, glabrous, teeth degenerated into 2, wide and round blunt; corolla yellow, 2-3 cm long, hairy on the back of helmet, 1 pair of fine teeth on the lower edge of apex; stamens 2 pairs, hairy. Capsule ovoid, 10-15 mm long, apex with short beak. The flowering period is from June to August. The fruit period is from August to September.

In the hillside grassland or open forest. It is distributed in Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan.

The root of this plant (huanyangcao root) is also used for medicine. See special article for details.

[collection] harvest in summer and autumn.

[flavor] temperament, bitter and pungent.

[function indications] clearing away heat and relieving exterior.

[selection] to treat measles: Wufeng Chaoyang grass is worth one cent and ebazi (Baisu) stalk is worth five. Take it in boiling water. (the following is Guizhou folk medicine)

Chinese PinYin : Wu Feng Chao Yang Cao