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This annual grass is native to south-east Asia and grows to a height
of around 3 ft (1 m), with knobbly, bamboo-like stems from the bases
of which new ‘tillers’ arise, these sometimes self- layering. The
glossy deep green leaves are up to 2 in (5 cm) wide with slightly
wavy edges. The flowering and fruiting spikelets are insignificant,
but the shiny, pea-sized receptacles that enclose their bases harden
in fall (autumn) to a pale bluish gray and have often been used for
beads and other decorative purposes. Some selected strains are
cultivated for their edible grains.Medical use: Seeds used as
diuretic, stomachic, tonic, emollient, febrifuge, anodyne, and
sedative; for rheumatism, dropsy and warts. Root as anthelmintic
while kernels consumed as food and medicine, diuretic, stomachic,
tonic, emollient, febrifuge, anodyne and sedative; to treat lung and
chest complaints. Fruit and root used as cardiotonic, skin
emollient, analgesic, vermifuge, anti-swelling and diuretic; for
gastritis, lymph, rheumatism and beriberi; induce warm feeling. |
