Description

Cyperus scariosus, the umbrella sedge or Indian nutsedge, is a perennial sedge of the family Cyperaceae, native to the moist grasslands, waterlogged lowlands, and canal margins of the Indian subcontinent from the Gangetic plains through peninsular India. The plant produces characteristically triangular stems and clusters of small, aromatic, reddish-brown underground tubers. Known in classical Ayurveda as Nagarmotha or Musta, the tubers are documented in the Charaka Samhita and Ashtanga Hridayam in a remarkably wide range of formulations encompassing digestive health, fever management, skin care, and diuretic preparations. Described as a Tridoshaghna herb — capable of addressing all three Doshas — Nagarmotha features in classical compounds including Chandanadi Kwatha and Musthadi Kwatha. Commercially sourced from wild populations across northern India, with cultivation in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.