64 : BOTANICON SINICUM. 
3 cha, Tea. The Jujube is denoted by the character 3 tsao, 
which is formed by two characters He ts‘z’, meaning thorn. It is, — 
as the Pen ts‘io kang mu explains, on account of the prickled — 
appearance of the tree. 
The plants, which enjoy a great renown for their utility, have 
even peculiar characters for their distinct parts. According to 
the ancient dictionary Rh ya (see above) the root of Nelumbium 
speciosum is called #§ ou—the leaves and the stalks together Ff 
ho—the stalk #jj kia—the lower part of the stalk, being in the 
mud, #3 mi—the leaf BE hia—the bud of the flower 2} t‘an—the 
seeds with the spongy testa 3# liem—the white seed without the 
testa 44 ti—the cotyledons with the plumule within the seed 
ia As is known the common name of this plant is ig 46 
lien hua. 
_ The male plant of the common hemp, Cannabis sativa, ie 2, 
is designated by the character ¥ si; whilst the female (seed 
bearing) plant is ff tsi. 
The characters which express the name often relate to the ap- 
pearance of the plant, its properties, ete. Thus Physalis Alke- 
kengi, the winter-cherry, is 40 GG WA hung ku niang, red girl, — 
on account of the red leafy bladder which encloses the ripe fruit. 
—Celosia cristata, Cockscomb, bears a name of the same meaning 
in China, $& 5& ki kuan.—Arachis hypogeea, the ground-nut, is 
called #§ 7E 4& lo hua sheng (the flowers fall down and grow), 
as its Greek specific name also denotes; the fruit growing (seem- 
ingly) in the ground. After the fall of the flower the fruit curves : 
downwards and the pod ripens in the ground.—The Chimonanthus _ 
fragrans is termed }§§ fig Ja mei, prunus of the 12th month, for 
in China its flowers appear in winter.—On account of the early 
appearance of its flowers in spring, Jasminum nudiflorum is called 
Bl # TE ying ch‘un hua (flowers which go to meet the spring).— 
- Lilium tigrinum bears the Chinese name i & po he (hundred 
together), owing to the numerous scales which form the bulb. _ 
This bulb is largely used for food in China.—The common name 
of Euryale ferox is 22 BA Mi tou (fowl’s head). Anybody who 
has seen the fruit of this plant will agree that the Chinesd name _ 
is very significative —The name of $% 7E i} juny hua shu (silk- 
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