Stems erect, robust, 70–120 cm tall or more, emersed. Leaves (20–)40–90 × 0.7–1.6 cm, upper flattened, lower keeled or trigonous on abaxial side. Panicles 20–60 cm long, with 3–7 lateral branches, each with 7–11 staminate and 1–2 pistillate heads; main axis consisting of 3–5 or more staminate heads. Perianth segments of male flowers spathulate, lobate at apex; filaments ca. 3 mm; anthers obconical, 1–1.2 × 0.5 mm; perianth segments of female flowers 5–7 × 1–1.5 mm; ovary sessile; styles forked or simple, ca. 1.5 mm; stigmas 3–4 mm. Fruit obconical, 6–9 mm long, ribbed.

Abortifacient, emmenagogue, galactogogue and sedative

Plants For A Future

A decoction of the root is used in the treatment of abdominal pain, amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea and chest pains

Contraindicated in women with menorrhagia and in pregnant women.

Jing-Nuan Wu. An Illustrated Chinese Materia Medica. P: 602, Oxford University Press, Inc.2005.