Its flowers look like honeycombs; notorious in India, farmers cut it down, now it sells for 16 yuan per jin and has become a rare commodity

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Friends living in rural areas must often see wild grasses, right? As for wild grasses, most farmer friends are quite fond of them, because many wild grasses are treasures; some can be eaten as wild vegetables and also used as herbal medicine. However, for farmer friends who cultivate fields, these wild grasses are not so friendly, because these wild grasses harm crops. Therefore, farmer friends who cultivate fields dislike the wild grasses at the edges of fields very much, and cut them down as soon as they see them, so as to avoid affecting crop growth. Below, the author will introduce one such "harmful grass" in farmland.

Recently, it has been the season when crops grow in farmland and rice fields. The author has been helping several uncles at home weed the wild grasses in the fields. Among these wild grasses, the author found quite a few interesting ones. One kind of wild grass has narrow, long leaves with a wrinkled surface, and the most interesting thing is that when it blooms, its flower receptacle is like a honeycomb. Only after asking an uncle did the author learn that this wild grass with honeycomb-like flowers is called "Zhoumiancao" (Leucas aspera), and because its flower receptacle is peculiar, it is also called honeycomb grass or honeycomb weed.

The author also picked one flower receptacle of Zhoumiancao, and it indeed looked like a honeycomb. The author asked an uncle and some old farmer friends who cultivate fields, and only then learned that this wild grass is actually a major "harmful grass," and many farmer friends who cultivate fields dislike it very much.

Zhoumiancao likes to grow near farmland. It mainly reproduces by seeds, and its vitality, reproductive capacity and adaptability are all very strong. Most importantly, it blooms and bears fruit all year round. If it is not removed, it will soon cover large areas of farmland, which will inevitably affect crop growth and lead to reduced crop yields. Therefore, many farmer friends cut down Zhoumiancao as soon as they see it, to prevent it from spreading over a large area and affecting crops.

It is precisely because Zhoumiancao likes to grow in fields and harms crops that it is "notorious" in India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Malaysia and some other Southeast Asian countries. Farmers in these countries also dislike it very much and cut it down as soon as they see it. However, even so, in rural areas of our country, apart from farmer friends who cultivate fields, many other farmer friends actually like it. Why is that?

Because Zhoumiancao is also a wild grass with high medicinal value. According to "Zhonghua Bencao," the whole plant of Zhoumiancao can be used as medicine. It is pungent in taste and neutral in nature, and has the effects of relieving the exterior, stopping cough, promoting menstruation and improving eyesight. It can be used to treat colds, headaches, toothaches, sore throat, cough, whooping cough, indigestion and many other symptoms.

Because Zhoumiancao has these uses, although many farmer friends dislike it very much and will cut it down, they also like it very much. After cutting it down, they collect it and sell it. According to an uncle, there are dedicated buyers in the village, and Zhoumiancao can sell for about 16 yuan per jin. Compared with many useless wild grasses, this can also be considered a rare commodity. It can both remove weeds from the fields and earn some pocket money, so why not do it?

Dear friends, have you seen Zhoumiancao? You are welcome to leave a message and exchange ideas.

Text/Hemu Report, images/Internet

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