Common name: Daabh • Assamese: কুশ Kush • Bengali: কুশ Kush • Hindi: डाभ Dabh, Davoli, Durva, Dabhena •
Kannada: kusha, dharbe • Malayalam: darbha, darbhappullu • Marathi: Darbha, डाभ Daabh •Sanskrit: barhi, darbha,
darbhah, durbha • Tamil: darbhaipul, taruppai, acamantakam • Telugu:
aswalayana, dabha, darbha • Urdu: bikh dab
Botanical name: Desmostachya bipinnata
Family: Poaceae (Grass family)
Synonyms: Uniola bipinnata, Poa cynosuriodes,
Eragrostis cynosuriodes
Introduction: Daabh is a harsh rihozomous
perennial grass. Culms are stout, up to 1.2 m high. Leaf-blades are up to 65 cm
long, 3.8-10.5 mm wide when unrolled. Lower leaf-sheaths are leathery, often
densely flabellate towards the base of the culm. Inflorescence is up to 60 cm
long. Spikes are clustered or spaced, 14 cm long. Spikelets are 3-17-flowered,
narrowly ovate to linear- oblong, 3-10 mm long. Lower glume 0.7-1.5 mm long,
upper glume 1.1-2.0 mm long. Lemmas are straw-coloured or suffused with purple,
1.8-2.7 mm long. Flowering: July-November.
Geographical distribution
The plant is native to India and
distributed in greater part of the country.
Chemical composition
Pectose, dignin, cellulose and ash are
obtained from the stem, leaves and roots.
Therapeutic uses
The plant is astringent, diuretic,
expectorant and stomachic. Useful in diarrhoea,
dysentery, leucorrhoea, menorrhagia,
skin diseases, stones and thirst.
Folk medicinal uses
The root infusion is usually given in
jaundice and urinary troubles.
Preparations
Trinpanchmul, kusableha and
kusadya-ghrita.
Flowers and Fruits :
June-October
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