Curculigo orchioides aka Golden Eye Grass

Curculigo orchioides is an evergreen herb in the Hypoxidaceae family. Its common names include star grass, golden-eyed grass, and black musli. It comes from tropical and subtropical Asia and the western Pacific. Its range includes China, Japan, India, and much of Southeast Asia. It also reaches New Guinea and parts of the Pacific. In southern China, it grows in woods and open grassy slopes.

This perennial forms a clump of leaves from its roots. It has no visible above-ground stem. Plants reach about 1.6 feet (0.5 metres) tall and wide. The large leaves have a sword-like shape and folded surface. Each plant carries just three to five leaves at once. Below ground, it has a thick rhizome. This can reach about 1 foot (0.3 metres) long. Its width can reach about 0.38 feet (0.115 metres). The leaves remain green throughout the year.

The small yellow flowers have a star-like shape. They sit close to the soil beneath the foliage. Bracts and leaves partly hide both flowers and fruit. This makes them less easy to see than the leaves. The fruit is a berry with a pale green colour. The plant's clump form and broad leaves give it garden interest. Its flowers offer small details rather than a bold display.

This plant suits warm, humid tropical and subtropical gardens. It can also grow outdoors where temperate winters lack frost. PFAF lists USDA hardiness zones 10–12 and notes frost sensitivity. Choose filtered shade and fertile soil rich in humus. It prefers moist soil, but water must drain well. It accepts sandy, loamy, and clay soils with good drainage. It also tolerates mildly acid through mildly alkaline soil. Growers can raise it from seed, divisions, or offsets. Sow seeds soon after they ripen.

People gather the rhizomes for traditional medicine across its range. Chinese medicine uses them as a tonic for lost strength. These records describe traditional uses, not proof of treatment benefits. PFAF reports that people cook and eat the tubers. Useful Tropical Plants, however, lists no known food use. Both sources report no known hazards. That does not establish safety for every person or pet. The supplied accounts name no specific pests or diseases. PFAF records no weed concern and no other practical uses.