Alias: fairy grass, bean jelly.
Family and genus: Mesona of Labiatae.
Flowering and fruiting period: Flowering and fruiting period is July 7- 10/October.
Description: Herbs, erect or prostrate. Stems are 15- 100 cm high, branched or slightly branched, and the stems and branches are quadrangular, sometimes grooved, with long hairs or fine bristles falling off. Leaves are narrowly ovoid to broadly ovoid or nearly ovoid, 2-5 cm long and 0.8-2.8 cm wide, in branchlets. Petiole is 2- 15 mm long, spreading and pilose. There are many cymbals, which form a discontinuous or nearly continuous terminal raceme. This inflorescence is 2- 10( 13) cm long, upright or obliquely upward, with short peduncle. Bracts are round or rhombic-ovoid, sparsely lanceolate, slightly longer or shorter than flowers, with short or long caudate spikes, usually colored; Pedicel slender, 3-4(5) mm long, short-haired. Calyx blooms in a clock shape, 2-2.5 mm long, densely white and sparsely pilose, with inconspicuous veins, 2-lipped, 3-lobed upper lip, extra large middle lobe, acute or blunt apex, small lateral lobes, entire lower lip, and occasional emarginate. When fruiting, the calyx is tubular or altar-shaped, 3-lipped. Nearly hairless or only along veins. Corolla is white or reddish, small, about 3 mm long, puberulent on the outside, slightly puberulent on the inside in the crown tube below the upper lip. The crown tube is extremely short, the throat is extremely enlarged, the crown brim is lip-shaped, the upper lip is wide, with 4 teeth, the teeth on two sides are high, the teeth in the center are not obvious, and sometimes it is nearly full, and the lower lip is full, boat-shaped. Stamens 4, oblique.
Dietotherapy value:
1, Xiancao, also known as Mesona chinensis, belongs to panicum miliaceum of Mesona of Labiatae, and is an important medicinal and edible plant resource. The dry sample of Xiancao contains about 70% carbohydrate, a small amount of protein, fat, pigment, etc., and also contains more mineral elements.
2, widely used in medicine, with the functions of clearing away summer heat, relieving fever and promoting diuresis.
Indications: heatstroke, toxic heat, thirst, hypertension, kidney disease, diabetes, joint muscle pain, gonorrhea, etc.
Among the components contained in Xianrencao, flavonoids can inhibit the growth of cancer cells and lower blood pressure. Polysaccharide can enhance and improve the immune function of the body; Essence has the effects of calming, cooling, detoxifying and diuresis; Trace elements have the functions of inhibiting radical formation, anti-aging and anti-cancer; Vitamins can regulate and enhance physiological functions.
3. At present, the development of Xiancao series products includes instant Xiancao frozen powder, Xiancao health tea, Xiancao cola beverage, instant Xiancao, and extraction of coffee pigment.