What plant is Scirpus tabernaemontani? A detailed explanation of its aliases, Guancao and Chongtiancao

Name: Scirpus tabernaemontani

Scientific name: Scirpus tabernaemontani Gmel.

Family and genus: Cyperaceae, genus Scirpus

Aliases: Cuiguan grass, Chongtian grass

Morphological features:

The plant is 1m~2m tall, with thick creeping rhizomes; the stem is upright, the culm solitary, cylindrical, with a smooth surface and spongy hollow tissue inside; the culm skin is tough; at the base there are 3~4 membranous tubular leaf sheaths, the uppermost sheath bearing a leaf blade; the leaf is narrowly linear; at the top of the stem there is one bract, which is an extension of the culm and shorter than the inflorescence. The inflorescence is a compound umbel with 4~15 or more rays, each ray bearing 3~5 spikelets; the spikelets are ovate or elliptical, 5~15mm long, pale yellow-brown; the nutlet is obovate, about 2mm long. Flowering period June~August, fruiting period July~September.

Origin:

Scirpus tabernaemontani is native to Eurasia and is distributed in both southern and northern China. It grows wild along the shallow water edges of lakes and ponds. It is robust, highly adaptable, cold-tolerant, shade-tolerant, and also tolerant of saline-alkaline conditions.

For pot cultivation, use fertile, loose loam rich in humus. In cold regions, the aboveground stems dry up in winter and the underground stems go dormant. If moved into a greenhouse maintained above 10°C, it can continue to grow and remain evergreen.

Propagation:

Potted Scirpus tabernaemontani is always propagated by division. Before sprouting in early spring, turn out the root clump and divide it into sections of 2 to 3 nodes each. Use a large pot with a 40 cm diameter and no drainage holes, fill it with loose, fertile loam, and place a small amount of hoof pieces at the bottom as base fertilizer. Plant several rhizome sections evenly so that the clump grows with moderate density and looks full and attractive. Fill the pot soil to 2/3 of the pot depth. After initial planting, keep the pot soil moist and place it in a well-ventilated spot with strong light. As the temperature rises and the clump grows upward, gradually fill the pot with water. In midsummer, place it in a lightly shaded environment to keep the plant emerald green. When it goes dormant in winter, cut off the withered stems and store it in a cold room.

Ornamental application:

The culms can be woven into mats. The plant stands upright, grows luxuriantly, and has elegant, clean colors. It can be planted at pond corners and along banks as a screen or background in waterscape arrangements, and potted plants can be used for courtyard landscaping decoration. Scirpus tabernaemontani is a typical stem-ornamental flower. Common Scirpus tabernaemontani, together with lotus and water lilies, forms an aquatic flower bed and creates a beautiful, refreshing landscape. Variegated Scirpus tabernaemontani placed in a courtyard or living room looks even more beautiful and quiet.

The main varieties of Scirpus tabernaemontani include Scirpus validus var. laeviglumis Tang et Wang, which differs from the original species in that the scales have no small rust-colored raised dots. Variegated Scirpus tabernaemontani (Scirpus validus cv. zebrinus) (see photo) differs from the original species in that the cylindrical culms have yellow ring-like stripes, making it more ornamental than the original species.

Growth habits:

Scirpus tabernaemontani likes to grow in a warm and humid environment and needs sunlight. It grows naturally in shallow water at the edges of ponds and lakes and in ditches of rice fields. It is relatively cold-tolerant; in most parts of northern China, the underground rhizomes can overwinter naturally underwater.

Medicinal properties of Scirpus tabernaemontani:

Scirpus tabernaemontani

(Nanjing Folk Medicinal Herbs)

Synonym: Shuizhangcong (Pharmaceutical Materials Science)

Source: The stem of the Cyperaceae plant Scirpus tabernaemontani.

Collection: Harvest in summer and autumn, dry in the sun or use fresh.

Medicinal material:

Dried stem, flat-cylindrical or flat and elongated, 60-100 cm long, 4-9 mm in diameter, and some are thicker. The outer surface is pale yellow-brown, glossy, with longitudinal straight striations and faint transverse ring lines; nodes few, slightly raised. Inflorescence pale yellow. Light but tough, not easy to break; the cut surface is off-white, with many small pores resembling a sponge. Odor weak. The best quality is dry, green in color, without roots, and without mud.

Processing: Wash clean with water, cut into sections, and dry in the sun.

Functions and indications: Nanjing Folk Medicinal Herbs: "Promotes urination."

Usage and dosage: Oral administration: decoct in water.

Selected formula: To treat urinary retention: Scirpus tabernaemontani and cricket. Decoct in water and take.