Pima Grass (Pimacao)

Pima Grass (披麻草) is written in “Kunming’s Folk Medicinal Herbs”. Pima Grass, a traditional Chinese medicinal material. This product is the whole plant of Dracontium stenophyllum of the Liliaceae family. Harvested in autumn, washed, cut into sections, and dried. Functions and indications: Internal use for inducing vomiting, strengthening bones, and relieving seizures. External use for stopping bleeding, alleviating pain, and unblocking nasal passages. For severe injuries, grind into powder and take with alcohol; for nasal congestion and neuralgia, grind into powder and inhale; for external bleeding, apply the powdered form directly to the wound.

Characteristics of Pima Grass:

  • Plant Height: 60-110 cm.
  • Stem: Hairless, with a brown or yellowish-white membranous sheath at the base. The upper part of the sheath turns into a fibrous bundle with few networked holes after withering.
  • Root: Fleshy, cylindrical, 2-3 mm thick, and yellowish-brown.
  • Leaves: Yellow-green, 7-9 in number, mostly basal or near the base, with 2-3 scattered along the upper stem. Leaf blades are strap-shaped, elongated, 30-50 cm long, varying widely in width (usually between 1-4.5 cm), tapering to a point at the tip, with a sessile base, hairless on both sides, and with a prominent central rib.
  • Inflorescence: Conical and narrowly tower-shaped, 40-50 cm long. Multiple side racemes are mostly nearly erect, with some nearly spreading, 12-15 cm long, each with 8-20 or more flowers, either sparse or dense. The terminal raceme can be up to 30 cm long, with many flowers, dense or sparse. The inflorescence axis, flower stalks, and small bracts are covered with white or dirty yellowish woolly hairs.
  • Flowers: Pale yellow-green or yellow-green; flower stalks are short or long, 7-12 mm; small bracts are yellow-green, lanceolate to ovate, 4-5 mm long, shorter than the flower stalks; flowers are bisexual and staminate, with 6 tepals, nearly equal, oval-shaped, with acute tips, short claws at the base, 8-9 mm long, 3-4 mm wide; filaments are curved downward, hairless, 2-3 mm long, and the anthers are yellow-green and kidney-shaped; the ovary is green, hairless, nearly equal in length to the filaments, with 3 separate and downward-curved stigmas; staminate flowers lack a degenerate ovary. Bisexual flowers are located at the base of the terminal raceme and the upper side branches, while staminate flowers are on the side branches.
  • Fruit: Light yellow-green, erect, approximately parallel to the main axis, flattened into an elongated ovate or cylindrical shape, 2.8 cm long, about 1.2 cm wide; seeds are nearly cylindrical, about 5 mm long, with narrow wings on both sides, longer wings at both ends, forming an elliptical shape with pointed ends, 9-11 mm long, 3.5 mm wide.
  • Flowering Period: August to September; fruit ripens in November.
  • Habitat: Found in Jingdong, Lijiang, Jianchuan, Dali, Chuxiong, Nanhua to Gejiu, growing on mountain slopes or grasslands at altitudes of 2400-3100 meters; also distributed in Xichang, Huiedong, and Huili in Sichuan. The type specimen (Forrest 11511) was collected from Dali. This species is closely related to Mongzi Rhizome (蒙自藜芦) but can be distinguished by its smaller flowers and the absence of a dark honey-gland band on the inner side of the tepals. The root is used in medicine, applied externally for fractures, contusions, and bleeding from wounds, and internally as an emetic. It is highly toxic and should be used with caution.

Cultivation and Processing of Pima Grass:

  • Plant: The root of the Liliaceae plant, Narrow-leaved Rhizome (狭叶藜芦) and Dali Rhizome (大理藜芦). Harvested in autumn and winter, cleaned, and used fresh or dried.

Morphology:

  1. Narrow-leaved Rhizome (狭叶藜芦)
    • Description: Perennial herb, 50-120 cm tall. The bulb is not noticeably enlarged. The base of the plant remains with leaf sheaths that tear into blackish-brown net-like fibers. Lower leaves are strap-shaped, narrowly elongated, or lanceolate, 25-40 cm long, 2-6 (or 8) cm wide, with sharp tips and a sheath-like base embracing the stem, hairless on both sides. The conical inflorescence is 20-80 cm long, with weakly developed side racemes usually bearing staminate flowers, and terminal racemes with bisexual flowers; the lower bracts are longer or shorter than the branches. Flowers are dense or slightly sparse with very short pedicels, about 8 mm. Tepals are 6, yellow-green, rarely green, usually ascending, elongated or ovate-elongate, 5-7 (or 8) mm long, slightly hairy at the base on the back. The capsule is upright, 1.5-2 cm long. Flowering and fruiting period: July to October.
  2. Dali Rhizome (大理藜芦)
    • Description: This species differs from Narrow-leaved Rhizome mainly in its expanded conical inflorescence; the side racemes are slender, slightly curved downward, with flower stalks 7-15 mm long, longer than the small bracts. Flowering period: autumn.

Ecological Environment:

  1. Narrow-leaved Rhizome: Grows in forest understories or grass slopes at altitudes of 2000-4100 meters.
  2. Dali Rhizome: Found in moist, fertile areas of mountain grasslands, scrub, or sparse forests at around 2400 meters elevation.

Distribution: Found in Sichuan, Yunnan, and other regions.

Properties:

  • Taste and Temperature: According to “Yunnan Traditional Chinese Medicine”: pungent, bitter, cool, highly toxic.

Effects:

  • Functions: The root of the Liliaceae plants, Narrow-leaved Rhizome and Dali Rhizome, is used for contusions, fractures, paralysis, epilepsy, rheumatic pain, and traumatic bleeding.
  • Main Uses: To promote blood circulation and reduce swelling, relieve pain and stop bleeding, expel phlegm, and open the orifices. Treats contusions, fractures, paralysis, epilepsy, rheumatic pain, and traumatic bleeding.
  1. “Yunnan Traditional Chinese Medicine”: Reduces swelling and relieves pain. Treats contusions and rheumatic pain.
  2. “Yunnan Traditional Chinese Medicine Selection”: Activates blood circulation and removes blood stasis, reduces inflammation and pain, assists in bone setting, and stops bleeding. Treats contusions, fractures, traumatic bleeding, paralysis, and epilepsy.
  3. “Guizhou Medicinal Plant Directory”: Expels phlegm, induces vomiting, clears heat, and dispels wind. Treats manic disorders, colds with nasal congestion, and hemorrhage.

Dosage and Administration:

  • Internal Use: Powdered, 0.03-0.06 g per dose; or steeped in liquor.
  • External Use: Apply an appropriate amount, crushed and used as a poultice.

Cautions and Contraindications: Avoid combining with ginseng, Xuan Shen, Dan Shen, Sha Shen, Dang Shen, Ku Shen, Xi Xin, Shao Yao, and other herbs.

Formulas:

  1. For Contusions: Soak 50 g of Dali Rhizome roots in 500 ml of white wine. Take 5 ml of the liquid and the soaked root (about 1 inch long) each time.
  2. For Fractures, Paralysis, and Epilepsy: Take 2 g of dried Dali Rhizome root powder with wine or boiling water, twice a day.
  3. For Traumatic Bleeding: Crush fresh Dali Rhizome root and apply it externally.
  4. For Contusions and Rheumatic Pain: Use 50 mg of Narrow-leaved Rhizome three times a day with boiling water.

Pima Grass (披麻草) as described in “Kunming’s Folk Medicinal Herbs”:

  • Source: Whole plant of Dali Rhizome from the Liliaceae family.
  • Functions: Induces vomiting, strengthens bones, and relieves phlegm. Externally used to stop bleeding, relieve pain, and open orifices. Treats severe contusions with powdered root taken with liquor; nasal congestion and neuralgia with powdered root inhaled; traumatic bleeding with powdered root applied externally.