“a BOTANICON SINICUM. 
The liao lan of ancient authors is Polygonum tinctorium. 
Lour. It is figured under lan in Ch., XI, 12, recto. So moku, 
VII, 77, and Phon zo, XLX, 16, BE Polygonum tinctorium, 
japonice a’, 
We read in Taunsere’s Flora japonica [166] Polygonum — 
chinese, L., japonice az, and itadori. Planta est coeruleo- 
tinetoria instar Indigo .... P. barbatum et aviculare 
eundem in finem ;—and in Strsonp’s Syn. plant. econ. jap. 
[106] Polygonum chinense, #8, japonice ai. Herba tinetoria 
maxime in Japonia usitata. Neither THUNBERG nor SIEBOLD 
mentions P, tinctorium, which, however, as we know from 
arious sources, is much cultivated in Japan for its indigo. — 
{ therefore suspect that the P. chinense of Tounpera and — 
Sresop may be P. tinctorium. 
[am not prepared to say what tinctorial plant with serrate 
leaves is figured under Jan in Ch., XI, 12, verso. : 
I have no doubt that the lan of the Classics was Polygonum 
tinctorium, which nowadays seems to be the most important 
of the Chinese Indigo plants. The Hia Calendar by liao 
lan doubtless means this plant. Indigofera is out of the 
question, for it is a tropical or subtropical plant, not 
indigenous to China. P., XVI, 76, quotes an author of the 
10th century who states that the Ff ff, ts‘ing tai, which is 
the true Indigo, was introduced into China from Persia. 
E., 105 [v. supra, 178]. S., I, 34. 
Jap., 170, Isatis Japonica, Miq., rv Be. 
393.—3i H& ju la is the name of a plant mentioned in 
Shi king. Laaar translates correctly madder plant. 
Shi king, 142:—Near the level ground at the east gate 
is the madder plant on the bank. 146 :—Madder-dyed 
coiffure. 382:—Character $ mei, which means madder- 
dyed, According to the Shuo wen this is also a name for the 
‘madder plant. In the Shi king, by this term madder-dyed 
knee-covers are meant, ae 
