Botany
Tikiu is a very coarse, large, erect, glabrous, aquatic or marshy herb. Stems are triangular, 1.5 to 2 meters high or more. Leaves are few, basal, often half as long as the stem, 1 to 2 cm wide, the leaflike bracts subtending the inflorescence, spreading, broad, 30 to 60 cm long. Inflorescence is corymbose, and 10 to 18 cm long. Spikelets are very numerous, brown, ovoid, and 5 to 8 mm long. Nuts are obovoid, trigonous, dark brown or black, and shining.
Distribution
- In fresh-water swamps, edges of ponds, and in newly opened rice lands at low altitudes, from central Luzon to Mindanao in most provinces and islands.
- Also occurs in India to Indo-China and Malaya.
Properties
Root considered astringent.
Parts used
Roots.
Uses
Folkloric
Root is astringent, and is given to check diarrhea and vomiting.
Roots used against infection, burning sensatives, fevers and gonorrhea.
Used
as diuretic.
Others
• Veterinary: In India, sap extracted from leaves and stem of S. grossus is mixed with garlic, and the paste applied topically for cattle wounds.
Studies
• Radioactive Pollution Indicator: The sea weed (Scirpus grossus Linn ) was used as an experimental plant to indicate radioactive pollution in estuaries. The results showed that the accumulation of 137Cs,65Zn, 60Co, 50Fe and 54Mn by Scirpus grossus was proportional to their concentration in the soil.
• Domestic Wastewater Treatment: Study examined the ability of Scirpus grossus planted in a constructed wetland to treat domestic wastewater. Results showed S. grossus has great potential in removing pollutants in constructed wetlands in tropical regions.
Availability
Wild-crafted. |
