Nutgrass Rhizome / Cyperus Rhizome

OVERVIEW

What This Record Covers

Nutgrass Rhizome, called Xiang Fu, is the dried rhizome of Cyperus rotundus, purple nutsedge, a perennial sedge of the sedge family (Cyperaceae) that grows as a common weed in fields and disturbed ground across warm regions worldwide. The medicinal material is the small, dark, knotty underground rhizome, harvested, cleaned, and dried for use. In trade it appears as small rhizome pieces, slices, powders, granules, and combined formulas, and it has a characteristic aromatic smell. The rhizome should not be confused with the grass-like aerial parts or with unrelated sedges, and the label should state the part and the processing.

English name

Nutgrass Rhizome / Cyperus Rhizome

Latin name

Cyperus rotundus L.

Traditional category

Qi Regulating

Nature

Neutral

Flavor description

Pungent, Slightly Bitter, Slightly Sweet

Record identifier

xiangfu

IDENTIFICATION

Identification and Image Notes

The rhizome is small, dark, and knotty, with a characteristic aromatic smell, and it should not be confused with the grass-like aerial parts or unrelated sedges. The dried rhizomes are about the size of a fingertip, dark brown and wrinkled, with a sweet-spicy aroma and a firm texture. The knotty shape and aroma are orientation clues, but the species and processing should be confirmed with the label, and vinegar-processed and stir-fried forms are separate records.

Images are for orientation only, not definitive species authentication; confirm species, part, source, and labeling with a qualified professional or authoritative monograph.

TRADITIONAL CONTEXT

Traditional Use in Context

Traditional records discuss Nutgrass Rhizome for regulating constrained qi, menstrual discomfort, breast or flank tension, and harmonizing movement, and it is one of the most frequently used qi-regulating ingredients in menstrual and emotional formulas, appearing in combinations such as Xiao Yao San and Yue Ju Wan, where it is often vinegar-processed to direct its action. Classical texts describe it for constrained qi with breast or flank tension and menstrual discomfort, always within a pattern-based framework. The menstrual vocabulary is historical and does not establish the cause of a gynecological symptom, and persistent pelvic or abdominal pain, heavy bleeding, or a new breast lump requires clinical assessment rather than self-treatment.

PROCESSING CONTEXT

Raw Material, Processing, and Product Form

Raw, vinegar-processed, and stir-fried rhizomes occur in traditional records, and storage, slicing, and processing should be stated alongside the product source. Each processed form carries a different traditional emphasis.

The same name can cover a raw material, decoction piece, powder, extract, or finished product, so record the labeled form rather than assuming it; see the safety review for the questions to ask.

COMPARISON

How This Entry Differs

Compare Nutgrass Rhizome with Tangerine Peel for the qi-moving pair, and with Corydalis Rhizome for the pain-focused end of the movement vocabulary. Nutgrass is distinguished by its small knotty rhizome form and its strong association with menstrual and emotional records. The plant is a common weed in many regions, which makes the cultivated medicinal source an important label detail.

Use the related-entry links below to compare identity, part, processing, and safety boundaries — similar categories do not make materials interchangeable.

STUDY METHOD

New to these entries?

Read the four-step method in How to Read a Herb Entry before comparing materials.