If you would like to support this site, please consider Donating.
Useful Temperate Plants

Grona styracifolia

(Osbeck) H.Ohashi & K.Ohashi

Fabaceae

+ Synonyms

Desmodium capitatum (Burm.f.) DC.

Desmodium celebicum Schindl.

Desmodium retroflexum (L.) DC.

Desmodium rotundifolium Wall.

Desmodium styracifolium (Osbeck) Merr.

Hedysarum capitatum Burm.f.

Hedysarum retroflexum L.

Hedysarum styracifolium Osbeck

Meibomia capitata (Burm.f.) Kuntze

Meibomia retroflexa (L.) Kuntze

Nicolsonia styracifolia (Osbeck) Desv.

Pseudarthria capitata (Burm.f.) Hassk.

Uraria retroflexa Drake

Uraria styracifolia (L.) Wight & Arn.

Codariocalyx conicus (Poir.) Hassk.

Desmodium strigillosum celebicum (Schindl.) H.Ohashi

Hedysarum conicum Poir.

Hedysarum decumbens Dennst.

Hedysarum pilosum Roxb. ex Wight & Arn.

Hedysarum spinosissimum DC.

Common Name: Guang Jing Qian Cao

No Image.

General Information

Grona styracifolia is a much-branched, erect to prostrate plant with more or less woody stems that persist. It can grow from 60 - 200cm tall[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It is sometimes used as a green manure.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.

Range

E. Asia - China, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, to Micronesia.

Habitat

Mountain slopes, grasslands and thickets at elevations below 1000 metres in Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Hubei and S Yunnan Provinces[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].

Properties

Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitPerennial
Height0.75 m
PollinatorsInsects
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

The range of Grona styracifolia extends from southeastern China (hardiness zone 8 in Anhui and Hubei) to the tropical regions of southeast Asia. Plants from the north of its range experience light to occasionally moderate frosts and can be expected to succeed outdoors in the warmer regions of the temperate zone.
Requires a well-drained soil and a sunny sheltered position[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Succeeds in full sunlight as well as in shade[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
Because of the abundant small uncinate hairs on most species, the seedpods cling most tenaciously to clothing, to any part of the human body, and also to the feathers and hair of various animals, thus ensuring a wide dispersal of the plants[
331
Title
Flora of Guatemala
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
 
Year
1946 - 1976
ISBN
 
Description
A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[
755
Title
Nodulation Plants in GRIN Taxonomy
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.ars-grin.gov/~sbmljw/cgi-bin/taxnodul.pl?language=en
Publisher
United States Department of Agriculture
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online database listing plants that have either positive or negative reports on root and stem nodulation with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The whole plant is diuretic and febrifuge[
147
Title
A Barefoot Doctors Manual.
Publication
 
Author
?
Publisher
Running Press; Philadelphica.
Year
1977
ISBN
0-914294-92-X
Description
A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.
,
218
Title
Medicinal Plants of China
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S.
Publisher
Reference Publications, Inc.
Year
1985
ISBN
0-917256-20-4
Description
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
]. It is used in the treatment of gonorrhoea[
147
Title
A Barefoot Doctors Manual.
Publication
 
Author
?
Publisher
Running Press; Philadelphica.
Year
1977
ISBN
0-914294-92-X
Description
A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.
]. A decoction of the plant is used in the treatment of gallstones, urinary tract stones and hepatitis[
218
Title
Medicinal Plants of China
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S.
Publisher
Reference Publications, Inc.
Year
1985
ISBN
0-917256-20-4
Description
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
].

The plant is used against colic, together with the central part of maize cobs. In Vietnam, the whole plant is considered diuretic, and applied against gall bladder and kidney stones and oedema. In southern China, it is also used to treat gall bladder and kidney stones[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

The whole plant is used medicinally for curing nephritis oedema, urethra inflammation, jaundice, and irritation from nettles[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is reported to be a good green manure, which covers the soil fast and produces numerous roots, nodules and seeds[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse. Scarify and pre-soak stored seed for 5 hours in warm water then sow early spring in a greenhouse. The seed usually germinates within 1 - 4 months at 25°c. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots once they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer and consider giving them some protection from frost in their first winter outdoors.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood with a heel, mid summer in a frame.
Division as the plant comes into growth in the spring. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.
Root cuttings in winter.
Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2024-03-19. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Grona+styracifolia>

Add a Comment:

If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.