Huperzia squarrosa (G.Forst.) Trevis.

Huperzia squarrosa or taratulit is an epiphytic herb distributed from Madagascar and Mauritius in the Indian Ocean to southern China, Southeast Asia, and Australia. This plant is considered the most beautiful among other Huperzia species, so it is widely cultivated as a hanging ornamental, while the Karo people of North Sumatra use it for traditional/customary purposes and rituals to ward off supernatural influences, alongside its potential as an ingredient for treating brain function disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Prefers bright shade for good growth, avoid full sun exposure, which can cause the foliage to whiten. Does not tolerate regular soil; use a well-drained, well-aerated but consistently moist soilless medium such as orchid bark or pine bark, or a sphagnum moss-compost mix. Prefers high humidity, tolerant of some drought, but can suffer from prolonged drought.

• Roots have a rhizome.
• Stem thin (4 mm wide), green, becoming brownish with age, characteristic branching forming a forked branching pattern.
• Leaves pale to yellowish green, narrowly linear and feather-like, curved at 60-90° along the stem axis.
• Bulblets (gemmae) form at the base of the upper leaves during the end of each annual growth cycle.

• Propagation through modified stem cuttings, bulblets (which fall to the ground when mature, and sprout to form new plants), and spores.
• For stem cuttings, remove the apical portion (5-15 cm) from the stock plant, lay it horizontally on a well-drained soilless medium, and cover the cut end with moist medium. This propagation can be done in a terrarium to maintain humidity. The upward-facing shoot tip is ideal material for stem cuttings.

Alkaloids such as huperzine A (Hup A), huperzine B (B), N-methyl-huperzine B, huperzinine, lycoporine A, and carinatumine A.

Used to treat several brain function disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's, bruises, tension, swelling, schizophrenia, myasthenia gravis, is an aphrodisiac for men and women, treats wounds, skin problems, back pain.

Ikur-ikur biang (Sumatra Utara).