Picture of ground cucumber

Ground cucumber is a perennial herb with a long main stem. The stem is about 20 cm high and is slanted or crooked. The leaves are triangular-cordate or nearly circular-cordate, 1-6 cm long and 1-4 cm wide, with a sharp or rounded apex, a cordate tip, serrated edges, glandular teeth tips, dark brown dots on both sides, and no hairs; the bracts are linear-lanceolate. Margin pectinate; stem tip usually with persistent bracts; radicular.

The leaf stems of ground cucumber leaves are relatively long, and the stem leaves gradually become shorter as they move upwards. The pedicel emerges from the root or branches from the stem, 6-10 cm long; the flowers are light purple, about 2 cm in diameter, with 5 calyxes, emerald green, lanceolate, and semicircular in shape; the flowers are 5, slender, with dark brown spots, and the lower part has spurs, which are long-vesicular and slightly curved; the pistils are 5; the ovary is on the platform, with a pointed column, slightly curved, and not collapsed. Silique, hairless. Flowering period is April.

Effects and functions of ground cucumber: clearing away heat and removing fire, promoting blood circulation, and removing blood stasis. Treats redness and swelling of the throat, furuncles, carbuncles, bleeding from knife wounds, and bruises. Tumor "Guizhou Folk Prescriptions and Medicines Collection": eliminates sores, swellings and carbuncles. It can treat impetigo, unknown swelling and can also stop bleeding from knife wounds. Gastroscopy "Guizhou Folk Medicine": Treats swelling and sores. Hair Removal "Guizhou Herbs": Clears away heat and fire, promotes blood circulation, removes blood stasis and reduces swelling.

A recipe for ground cucumber: Tumor-induced chronic sore throat and swelling: Mash the ground cucumber and mix it with honey and red bean syrup and swallow it. (Guizhou Folk Medicine) Gastroscopy to treat unknown swelling and infection: Mash the ground cucumber (fresh wolfberry) and wrap it on the sore. (Guizhou Folk Medicine) Hair removal and treatment of impetigo: 1 qian of ground cucumber (burned to preserve its nature), 0.5 fen of alum. Grind it into powder, mix it, and apply it on the wound. (Guizhou Folk Prescriptions and Medicines Collection) To treat knife wounds on the waist: Mix ground cucumber with rice water, mash it, and apply to the affected area. (Guizhou Folk Medicine) Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene is used to treat hernia: decocted cucumber in water and taken orally. (Hunan Pharmacopoeia) Mango treats swelling and pain caused by falls: 100 grams of fresh cucumber, mash it into a pulp, add a small amount of wine, stir, and apply to the injured area. (Guizhou Herbal Medicine)