Duguan Grass

Duguan Grass original: Duguan Cao (都管草) grows in the fields and wilderness of Shi Prefecture Modern-day Enshi, Hubei Province and Yi Prefecture Modern-day Yizhou, Guangxi Province. Its flavor is bitter and pungent, and its medicinal nature is cold. It is primarily used to treat wind-related carbuncles deep-seated, painful abscesses often attributed to "wind" pathogens in traditional medicine, swellings, toxic sores, and red fistulas. It also treats swelling and pain in the throat.

Its root resembles the head of Qianghuo original: Qianghuo (羗活), or Notopterygium incisum, a common root used in Chinese medicine. The root grows one node every year, and the plant reaches a height of about two feet. The leaves resemble those of the Tu-danggui original: Tu-danggui (土當歸), or Aralia cordata and feature "double platforms" likely referring to a tiered or whorled arrangement of leaves or flower clusters.

The plant sprouts in the second lunar month. In the eighth month, the roots are harvested and dried in the shade. The variety that grows in Shi Prefecture grows as a vine; it is also known as the Scented Ball original: Xiangqiu (香毬). These vines grow to over ten feet in length and are reddish in color. In autumn, they bear red fruit. They can be found during all four seasons.