The efficacy and function of small fireweed

Modern medical research believes that small fire grass contains many nutrients that are beneficial to the human body. As a traditional Chinese medicine, its efficacy and function have been widely recognized. Let's take a look at its specific situation.

[Other names] Fine fireweed, blue sky and white ground, small fireweed

[Source] Medicinal material source: the whole herb of Pedum serrata of the Asteraceae family.

[Original form] Leontopodium alpinum is a perennial herb, 2-10cm tall. The rhizome is slender, with numerous sparse or densely clustered flower stems and rootlets. The root is slender, with sparse leaves and a terminal nearly rosette-shaped leaf cluster. The flower stem is branched or branched at the base, covered with thin cottony hairs, with denser leaves at the bottom and sparser leaves at the top; internodes are 2-8mm long; leaves at the base wither and remain during flowering. Leaves are linear, oblong or oblanceolate-linear, 8-11mm long, 1.5-2.5mm wide; basal leaves and rosette leaves are smaller, 5mm long, 1.5mm wide, sessile, covered with spider-like hairs above, and white or gray hairs below; bracts are numerous, the same shape as the leaves on the upper part of the stem or slightly wider, covered with dirty yellow-green hairs above except for the base which is covered with more fine cotton hairs than below, and covered with denser gray-white hairs below, slightly longer or twice as long as the inflorescence, and more or less developed into dense bract groups. Inflorescence capitulate, 5-7mm in diameter, 1-3 in number, necessarily clustered; involucre covered with gray-yellow long soft hairs; involucral bracts about 3 layers, lanceolate, pointed at apex, often torn, dark brown, revealing the hairy surface; florets heteromorphic, with a few male flowers; corolla purplish red in upper part; male flower corolla tubular, one-quarter bell-shaped in upper part, with small lobes; female flower corolla filiform; pappus slightly longer than corolla, ochre-yellow, slender, with fine serrations at lower part; male flower corolla slightly coarse; sterile ovary glabrous. Achenes slightly papillate with short hairs. The flowering period is from July to September, and the fruiting period is from September to October.

[Habitat distribution] Ecological environment: Growing on the edges of high mountains and subalpine dry grasslands, gravel and shrubs at an altitude of 3400-4000m. It is uncommon.

【Nature and flavor】 Sweet; bland; neutral

【Functions and indications】 Clears the liver and improves eyesight; drives away parasites and eliminates accumulation; detoxifies and promotes tissue regeneration. Mainly used for membranous opacity; diarrhea in children; ascariasis; cold; cough; sores that do not heal for a long time

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decocted in water, 9-15g. For external use: take appropriate amount and mash fresh product for application.

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

Through the introduction in the above article, I believe everyone has a certain understanding of small fire grass. The effect of small fire grass is very large and it has great benefits to the human body. Therefore, everyone can choose small fire grass according to their physical condition, but it should still be done under the doctor's advice.