Lophatherum gracile Brongn.

Bamboo grass (Lophatherum gracile) is a herb up to 40-100 cm tall of the Poaceae family, distributed across tropical Asia, from India and Myanmar to Australia. Although considered a weed, almost every part of this plant contains steroid metabolite compounds that make it a popular herbal remedy. Bamboo grass is traditionally believed to relieve fever, canker sores, and swollen gums.

Commonly grows in shaded places, but not too dry and not too wet. Grows wild along roadsides, thickets or forest edges from mid-elevations to high mountains, at elevations of 800-2,500 m above sea level.

• Root fibrous that grows into tubers.
• Stem small in size, long creeping, yellow in color, longitudinally ridged and has a cavity inside with the stem tip pointing upward.
• Leaves widely lance-shaped, alternately positioned, both surfaces white-haired, flat leaf edges, leaf base narrowing into a petiole that clasps the stem and is green in color, parallel veins and the midrib protruding on the underside of the leaf.
• Flowers compound, panicle-shaped, flower stalk length 10-30 cm, flowers are small net-shaped spikes.

Propagated by seed and root suckers.

Triterpenoid, tannin, cylindrin, β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, alkaloid, campesterol, taraxerol, steroid arundoin, cylindrin, luteolin, salcolin A, B, tricin, afzelin, isoorientin, vitexin.

Addresses cancer, fever, bloody urine, difficult and painful urination, nosebleeds, sore throat, canker sores, swollen gums, antimalarial.

• Collect the whole bamboo grass plant as needed then wash thoroughly.
• Air-dry for several days.
• Once dry, place in a sterile, airtight container.

Other local names Rumput rayung (Java), Jukut awi (Sunda).