musta :

Morphology:

Drug consists of rhizome and stolon having a number of wiry roots,

stolon 10-20 cm long having a number of rhizomes,

crowded together on the stolons,

rhizomes bluntly conical and vary in size and thickness,

crowned with the remains of stem and leaves forming a scaly covering, dark brown or black externally,

creamish-yellow internally; odour, pleasant

Histology:

Rhizome shows single layered epidermis, followed by 2-6 layers,

suberised sclerenchymatous cells; epidermis and outer sclerenchymatous layers filled with dark

brown content;

ground tissue of cortex consists of circular to oval, thin-walled, parenchymatous cells with small intercellular spaces; a few fibro-vascular bundles

present in this region;

endoderm is distinct and surrounding the stele;

wide central zone beneath endodermis, composed of circular to oval, thin-walled, parenchymatous cells with intercellular spaces, numerous collateral, closed,

vascular bundles surrounded by bundle sheath, scattered in this region; vessels narrow having simple reticulate, and

scalariform thickening and oblique pore;

simple round to oval starch grains measuring 6-28 µ in dia., a number of pigmented cells filled with reddish-brown content,

present throughout the cortex and stele.

Kotakkal Ayurveda - Mother land of modern ayurveda

musta - Cyperus rotundus Linn. - Cyperaceae

musta :

Morphology:

Histology:

Medicinal Plants