What are the benefits and effects of Lophatherum gracile? With pictures

Lophatherum gracile, also called bamboo-leaf Ophiopogon and mountain chicken rice, looks very much like the stems and leaves of the slender bamboo that grows from bamboo rice falling to the ground. A single root has several dozen fibrous roots, and seeds form on the fibers, just like Ophiopogon japonicus, only harder. It grows on hillsides under forest and in damp, shaded places along ditches. It is cut before the flower spikes emerge at the end of summer and sun-dried for later use. So what benefits and effects does Lophatherum gracile have? With pictures.

1. What kind of bamboo leaves does Lophatherum gracile refer to?

Lophatherum gracile is not the leaf of any bamboo, but the dried stems and leaves of the perennial herbaceous plant Lophatherum gracile in the grass family, mainly produced in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Hunan and other places. Lophatherum gracile is often cut into segments and slices, with stems and leaves mixed. The stem is cylindrical, jointed, and hollow at the cut surface. The leaves are flaky, mostly shrunken and curled, light green, with parallel veins and transverse veinlets that form a rectangular network, especially obvious on the lower surface. It is light in weight, pliable in texture, with a faint odor and a bland taste.

2. What benefits and effects does Lophatherum gracile have?

1. Antibacterial effect

In in vitro tests, the water decoction of this product has an inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus and hemolytic Streptococcus.

2. Diuretic effect

Clinical application has shown that the diuretic effect of Lophatherum gracile is relatively weak, but it can significantly increase the sodium chloride content in urine.

3. Antipyretic effect

Artificial fever was induced in rats by subcutaneous injection of a 15% yeast suspension, and gavage with Lophatherum gracile water extract had an antipyretic effect. Lophatherum gracile also has an antipyretic effect on fever induced in cats and rabbits by subcutaneous injection of Escherichia coli; the antipyretic potency of 2g/kg Lophatherum gracile is equivalent to 0.83 times that of 33mg/kg phenacetin. The active antipyretic component of Lophatherum gracile is soluble in water and dilute hydrochloric acid, but insoluble in alcohol and ether.

3. Key points of Lophatherum gracile cultivation techniques

(1) Growth habits

Lophatherum gracile grows on hillsides, in woodland or forest edges, and in shaded places beside roads. Lophatherum gracile tolerates poor soil, prefers warmth and moisture, tolerates shade and also slightly tolerates sun; in environments with overly strong sunlight, it grows poorly, often showing low plant height, reduced tillering ability, and dry, yellowish leaves, which lowers its ornamental value. The cultivation soil is preferably fertile, well-drained yellow soil or vegetable garden soil. For ground planting, choose shaded places such as under trees in the forest with good ventilation and no direct light. For pot cultivation, it can be placed indoors or on a balcony where direct sunlight does not reach. Lophatherum gracile grows vigorously and has strong tillering ability.

(2) Propagation methods

1. Seed propagation: For seed sowing, collect when the fruit matures in autumn, use fertile, loose loam or garden soil as the seedbed, and sow immediately after collection.

2. Division propagation: From March to May, dig up the planting roots and divide and cultivate them. When dividing, choose plants that grow robustly and have well-developed root systems, and prune away some overly long, overly dense, and damaged old roots to facilitate root regeneration and earlier sprouting of new roots. Try to ensure that each seedling has more roots, cut off all branches and leaves more than 3 cm to 5 cm above the roots, and plant in garden soil.

(3) Planting techniques

1. Planting density: row spacing x plant spacing 30x20cm.

2. Pest and disease control: Powdery mildew mainly damages leaves, and in severe cases can also occur on leaf sheaths, stems, and ears. It can be controlled by spraying with 2000 times dilution of 20% triadimefon. Ground-planted plants are prone to damage to stems and leaves by locusts, and can be controlled by spraying 2000 to 3000 times dilution of 40% fenvalerate-malathion emulsifiable concentrate. Note: For ornamental cultivation, low-toxicity, residue-free chemicals can be used for pest and disease control; for medicinal cultivation, to ensure food safety, their use should be avoided as much as possible.

(4) Harvesting and processing

In June to July when flowering is about to begin, except for those retained for seed, cut the aboveground parts 2 to 5 cm above the ground, sun-dry, straighten, and tie into small bundles. But when drying, it must not be interrupted, so as to avoid separation; at night it must not be piled in the open air, so as to avoid yellowing leaves. It can be harvested continuously for several years.