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| DISCLAIMER: These pages are presented solely as a source of INFORMATION and ENTERTAINMENT and to provide stern warnings against use where appropriate. No claims are made for the efficacy of any herb nor for any historical herbal treatment. In no way can the information provided here take the place of the standard, legal, medical practice of any country. Additionally, some of these plants are extremely toxic and should be used only by licensed professionals who have the means to process them properly into appropriate pharmaceuticals. One final note: many plants were used for a wide range of illnesses in the past, but be aware that many of the historical uses have proven to be ineffective for the problems to which they were applied. |
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A stemless herb native to the tropics of the southern hemisphere. The rhizome is short and thick with lateral roots; the leaves are long and plicate; flowers are small, yellow, and borne near the ground in dense heads or spikes and concealed by the leaves; the berrylike fruit contains small, globose, black seeds.
PART USED: Rootstock.
MEDICINAL USES:
In Asian medicine is considered to be a tonic and nervine.In Chinese medicine the root has been used for arthritis, blenorrhea, cachexia, enuresis, impotency, weak kidneys, incontinence, lassitude, lumbago, and neurasthenia.